Age of consent examined in Channel 4 sex series

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8/6/2003 | Tom Leonard

[sjersey]

Channel 4 is to examine whether the age of consent should be lowered to 14 in a series of programmes devoted to teenage sex, it said yesterday.

The Adult At 14 season will offer a "realistic examination of teenage sexuality" in a succession of programmes highlighting the increasingly sexualised world in which children grow up.

In one episode, Age Of Consent, the presenter, Miranda Sawyer, argues that sex below the age of 16 should be legalised.

Another documentary, Porn To Be Young, will interview young people about their attitude towards pornography, while in 14 Alone, a group of 10 14-year-old boys and girls will be allowed to spend five days and nights together in a house without adult supervision, television or computer games.

This is a follow-up to Boys Alone and the subsequent Girls Alone, a televised social experiment that attracted criticism for putting a group of 11-year-olds in a house to fend for themselves.

The programme claims it will offer an insight into "this tender age when children are on the cusp of adulthood".

A Channel 4 spokesman stressed that rules would be imposed and a camera crew would be present at all times to ensure things did not get out of hand. "This is not like Big Brother where they are left completely alone. There will be cameramen in the house with them," she said.

Although the season focuses on the subject of teenage sexuality, sex will be banned in the house.

Channel 4 will also screen Pleasureland, a feature-length drama set in Liverpool about the pressures on teenagers to have sex before the age of 16.

The channel, which has been criticised in the past for packing its schedules with supposedly serious-minded programmes about sex, will also broadcast Pornography: The Musical, an assortment of sex workers singing about their lives.

Away from sex, Channel 4's new autumn season heavily indulges another human obsession, with seven different series about the property market and people moving home.

[DoughtyOne]

If the age of consent is lowered, those who become able to consent are then free to engage in sex with adults. Isn't that true?

How are parents supposed to react to their children dating 53 year old men out in the open?

[TheOtherOne]

How are parents supposed to react to their children dating 53 year old men out in the open?

Violently

[Paul Atreides]

I've noticed that kids are suddenly adults when it comes to urging them to have sex at ever increasingly younger ages. Yet, when one of those kids brutally murders someone, they can't be considered an adult.

[BrooklynGOP]

I know you'll be watching this one closely.

[onedoug]

Remember when they were trying to get it down to 16?

Depravity knows no bounds. Does society?

[breakem]

Uh, you're wrong on both points. Kids (12+) used to get married. The higher marriage ages is a recent phenomenon.

On your second point more and more teenagers under 18 are being tried as adults since many states passed laws allowing it in the 90s.

[DoughtyOne]

There's one way to stop this nonsense.  You put a 72 year old crusty toothless male on the tube sitting right beside a 14 year old cutie with his arm around her, and have him plead advocate for the lowering of the age of consent.  That ought to about do it!

[Paul Atreides]

On your second point more and more teenagers under 18 are being tried as adults since many states passed laws allowing it in the 90s.

I'm talking about the viewpoint of liberals.

[breakem]

Didn't know you were bilingual. LOL!

[Paul Atreides]

Uh, you're wrong on both points. Kids (12+) used to get married. The higher marriage ages is a recent phenomenon.

Plus, there is a difference in a person that age getting married and one out on the streets having one night stands with old farts.

[DoughtyOne]

We used to allow children to work in factories for twelve hours a day. Should we return to that practice as well?

I do not support the reduction of age of consent. It would be abused by those who would prey on these kids.

[breakem]

Yeah, one makes more money for her trouble. I think you should quit while you're behind.

[montag813]

This is NOT about teens having sex, it is DRIVEN ENTRIELY by gay men who want to have sex with male children. NAMBLA and the IMBLA are the chief proponents of changing the age of consent. PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN, EXPOSE NAMBLA!

[Bigg Red]

If the age of consent is lowered, those who become able to consent are then free to engage in sex with adults. Isn't that true?
***

This is a major objective of the Gayhadist movement. They want access to our kids.

[breakem]

I don't think anyone here is supporting 12 year olds having sex. Just pointing out that the "good old days" were necessarilly so.

[DoughtyOne]

That's my perception as well. No way!

[breakem]

were NOT necessarilly so.

[Paul Atreides]

Why? I didn't say that I thought it was correct that children at that age were married off. However, just because it used to happen doesn't mean that it still should.

Anyway, who says anyone is making any money off of it?