Depending on a child's personality I can see a boy making the case that he will be responsible - I wouldn't buy it, but I can see the argument.
With a girl I know that whether or not she is as responsible as can be, she is target for people who would want more than just her wallet.
There is a crucial difference.
I disgree with assumptions that the parents were negligent. I am female and didn't have a curfew at age 15. The worse that ever happened was that I and a few of my friends were caught toilet papering a fellow band member's house. It all depends on the maturity of the kid and the trust of their parents.