America could do far worse than to make MARRIAGE at biblical ages possible (with the marriage coming before the sex). Children should still be protected from adults who would fool around with them sexually in an extramarital or perverted manner.
I suppose it all has to do with education—and I do not mean the “public school” type which creates spoiled narcissists who can’t function at any job. I think of who I would have picked if I married at 18 instead of at 22 and I do cringe. Life experiences are so narrow until a person is working and out on their own. I was so naive at 18.