Should the age of consent be lowered to 14?

[Cory]

no

[Cory]

Something isn't quite right about this thread.

[Cory]

15 (with =18 or <18) should be tolerated, but not legal.

Well which is it? When you're writing law you can't have it both ways. Either it's legal or it isn't.

[Cory]

Not legal, but officially tolerated, which means that no prosecution will take place if one doesn't follow this law. This is quite a common thing in the Netherlands, my country, and I think it makes sense. You don't think something should be legalized, but it is not problematic enough to prosecute one for it either.

Then what's the point in making it illegal? What's to stop prosecutors from enforcing the law when they feel like it, and not enforcing it when they don't. It's "tolerated" unless their daughter hooks up with an 18 year old. Then it's time to bring out the big guns and "enforce the law as it's written". If you want to "send a message of condemnation, but tolerance" then do it in public forums and not in legal code.

What you're saying just seems deeply illogical.

[Cory]

Problem is that most states' laws defining statutory rape have provisions that specifically state that the so-called victim lying about her age (in many states, statutory rape can only be committed by a male unless a woman is in a position of power. Teacher, prison guard, etc.) is not a valid defense and can't be used as a mitigating circumstance.

Well that's stupid.