Close legal gap allowing adults to have sex with 16–17-year-olds

Close legal gap allowing adults to have sex with 16–17-year-olds — 21 signatures. Status: rejected.

Petition background

Introduce legislation to close legal loopholes that allow adults to engage in sexual relationships with 16–17-year-olds. Close the legal gap allowing adults to have sex with 16–17-year-olds. 30 year olds should not legally be able to have sexual relationships with under 18s.

Additional details

Although the age of consent is 16, current laws do not adequately protect young people from exploitation by significantly older adults. This gap can leave 16–17-year-olds vulnerable to grooming, coercion, and abuse. Close the gap by ensuring that it is a criminal offence if an adult aged 20 or over engages in sexual activity with a 16–17-year-old where there is a substantial age difference (for example, more than 4 years).

View this petition on the official UK Parliament website

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