The rationale behind this was that certain pedophiles were getting harsher sentences than others based on how the law was previously written - so instead of changing and strengthening the law to correct this alleged issue, they instead decided to weaken it as a solution for the cause of “fairness.”
Yours is the only legally correct post in here. The age difference should be TWO years, not 10, and they should only have changed the type of sex to include oral and anal.
The purpose of the change was to allow judges to be lenient upon the 18 year olds whose lovers were 16. For vaginal sex they are allowed to be. But an older law said that if the sex was the other two kinds the judge was forced to put the kid on the sex offender list for life. That is unfair to teen homosexuals.
It remains a crime for an 18 year old to engage in sex with a 17 year old even days before their birthday. That has not changed. The only change is whether a judge can use their own thinking on a particular case or not.
For example: a decent judge could let the18 year old high schooler caught with his 16 yr old girlfriend off with a fine and probation or community service. But he could throw the 23 year old guidance counselor in jail and put on the pedo list for messing with the same age girl.
But a simple two year age difference and including the other kids of sex would have been enough.
10 years is far too big an age difference. A 24 year old should NOT be given a lighter sentence for raping a 14 year old. Insane.