Would prosecuting underage mums deter more teenage pregnancies?

Question

If the law on underage sex was applied to teenage parents and they were issued with a suspended sentence, would this deter teenage pregnancies in society?

Answer 1

At present underage sex is illegal and is deemed to be statutory rape. I strongly believe that both parties should be admonished for they reckless behaviour, no just the boy - note the word boy.

Answer 2

It probably wouldn't work - most of them have probably been regular customers at Youth Court already. The only thing that can be done about this is to get the underage mums' own parents to exercise some parental responsibility over them. Its' pretty obvious that if you come from an environment where there is little intelligent thought about family planning, you're going to think there is nothing wrong with banging out kids at age 12. Everytime this happens, the papers show the mother-to-be with the proud grandmother-to-be (father ususally absent) showing off their best hoop-earrings for a picture in the Daily Mirror. And hence the cycle starts all over again.
Perhaps if more parents educated their kids that having babies while you're still at school is a rubbish idea and will be the beginning of the end of your life, then it would happen less.

Answer 3

Well you have to look at a few things here. First of all at least not here there is no enforced law on minors having sex with other minors. It is not a crime. So how would you prosecute them?
Also what good would that do to the baby that has already been conceived? They need a way to better their life and punishing them is not going to do that.
Also its the same as underage drinking-which is against the law. It does not deter teens from drinking. Or shoplifting. Or doing drugs. So why would a law deter them from becoming teen parents?

In theory it could be a good idea. But you have to break it down and it just isn't feasible.

Answer 4

I don't know about deterring them but since they have clearly had underage and therefore illegal sex, they totally should get done for it.

Hefty fine and if they can't pay, short prison term.

Same for the father since he too has broken the law as well if either of them are underage.

Also benefits should only be available to mums who are legal adults; all other benefits should be in the form of vouchers so that these teen moms can't just spend the money down the pub or in the shopping centre on hipster jeans and sparkly belts!!

Answer 5

certain, individual fathers will be prosecuted for paying for underage women pregnant providing it constitutes "statutory rape" or familiar rape. If the fellow is say 18 and the female is 17 and there is a Romeo & Juliet regulation of say 3 years, the 18 year old receives off scott free. Or say, the fellow become 19 and the female become 17, if the age of consent in her state become 17, having stated that, the guy walks free. yet when we are searching at a 21 year old guy and a 15 year old female, the fellow male will be going to detention center, probably reformatory. in case you already know of a case of underage being pregnant, have a communicate with the police to work out what would nicely be finished, or when you're the guy, get your self a strong lawyer.

Answer 6

it would not deter all of them, neither would more education as some teenagers are ignorant and if you introduce sex ed any earlier toddlers will be using condoms as balloons! what should be done with parents permission of course is to give them 2 options. put them in young offenders house unless they have the contraceptive implant fitted. this may sound harsh but if you think it lasts for 3 years and all the 13 and 14 yr olds getting pregnant could be protected from this for a good few years until they see what life has to offer them!

Answer 7

The Welfare State is not crippling anyone.

That is not to say that the system is not being abused.

Who is more to blame?

Is it

(a) the building contractor, who charges the NHS £800 million for a hospital [when the public sector could have built it for £150 million]; or

(b) the lone parent, who has made a few mistakes in life and is receiving £70 a week in benefit? [Most middle-class people would spend that, during one visit to Sainsburys or Tesco.]

Would you prefer Little Miss Single Mother to have sneaked off to a clinic and had an abortion, as many (wealthier) career-minded women do?

I know which type of person I would admire more.

Answer 8

No, the problem is a social one - education would deter teenage pregnancies - teens will have sex no matter if they could be prosecuted or not, we need education on risks of underage sex and risks of sex in general.

Answer 9

the parents should be prosecuted for not educating there children don't just blame the moms what about the dads? personally I think a big scare or 25 to life will deter underage pregnancies or stay abstinent

Answer 10

I don't think it would help with the numbers, but I think we should prosecute, but the reason we don't is we simply don't have the resources to.

I think good parenting, sex education and the ability to provide contraceptives to underage girls and boys would probably be the better option, but good parenting is starting to die out... the number of parents who want to be their child's friend is startling... I don't want to be my child's friend, they have plenty of those, I want to be their mother, hated and loved by them.

Teenagers are under more and more pressure to grow up quickly and their parents don't want to fight for their childhood.

The problem is that the issues are now children having children and so the cycle goes on.

I believe that my children have a right to their childhood and if they won't fight for it, then I will.

Answer 11

No - just take away the benefits and the baby, they're not responsible enough to take precautions or think about their actions so why should society support them? I'm all for families, but when a single mum has six kids and more cash in benefits than most of the working population earn through hard graft it's just taking the mickey.