Review the age of consent law to better protect 16–17year-olds from exploitation

Review the age of consent law to better protect 16–17year-olds from exploitation — 7 signatures. Status: rejected.

Petition background

Review the age of consent (16) to better protect young people from exploitation. Consider raising the age or introducing age-gap laws to prevent significantly older adults engaging in sexual relationships with 16–17-year-olds.

Additional details

At 16, young people cannot vote, drink or smoke, recognising their vulnerability. Yet they can legally consent to sex with much older adults. Social pressure and desire for validation can make these relationships seem acceptable, even when there is a clear imbalance in power and maturity. The law should better reflect this and protect young people from potential exploitation.

View this petition on the official UK Parliament website

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