I know that in the States 16 is considered the legal age of consent. But I was just wondering, are 16 year olds matured enough mentally to make decisions which could have long-term and long-reaching effects on their lives and is it justifiable to set the legal age of consent so low?
2006-10-18 16:43:06 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Adolescent
if they're mature enough to have sex at age 16, they're probably smart enough not to. so no.
2006-10-19 09:34:04 · answer #1 · answered by fireflower413 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe I was mature around 15 to make my own decisions, but I don't think now, 23 years old, I would make the same decisions, knowing what I know now. 16, in Washington State isn't old enough for anything but a license, but 18 years old is adult. Although you can't drink until 21. I've always had a problem with being an adult at 18, and able to fight in for your country, but unable to drink until you are 21. Everything needs to have a common age. Drinking, serving, driving, and adulthood should all be the same age, I believe, 20.
Every single person is different though, so the consequences will be different for everyone, at every different age.
2006-10-19 16:13:46 · answer #2 · answered by the_proms 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In reality, some states set the age of consent at 17 or 18. No teenager is fully capable of understanding all of the ramifications of having sex. Even at 18, I don't consider myself ready to handle the consequences. It is ridiculous that the age of consent should be set any lower than 18, the age at which we are legally considered adults. I find it insane that teenagers can begin having sex without worry of statutory rape charges a full two years before they can even legally buy a lottery ticket.
I know that my response probably won't be very popular, but it's the truth. Most teenagers think sex is only about pleasure and maintaining a relationship with someone, but it is so much more. Sex is a means of procreation... anyone who wants to have sex should take that into consideration, along with the fact that the only sure-fire way to prevent pregnancy and STDs is abstinence. Most teenagers don't understand that.
2006-10-19 01:49:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, any teen younger than 17 are not mentally capable to make the more important descions, especially when it comes to relationships. The age of consent should be 18.There are so many young mums therse days, some before they've even left school. What are we teaching our kids these days? That it's ok to do as you please, no matter what, but leave the consiquences to the parents, who have to pick up the pieces after?
I would guess that about 80% of teens, seem to want everything there and then, but won't take the responibility of their own actions. A crazy world we live in.
2006-10-19 05:01:11 · answer #4 · answered by knightlibby 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually 16 is not the legal age for everything only drivers license. Teens are not ready to drive responsively unless the parent knows that child is mature enough. 18 is the age when they are legally adults in the States.
2006-10-18 23:48:16 · answer #5 · answered by brookie1977m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
16 is not the legal age in the US. It's 18. For drinking it's 21.
2006-10-19 10:36:19 · answer #6 · answered by kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being 16 doesn't open the world up to you. It's just one point in the life of an American teen.
A 16yr old can make some decisions - like to drop out of school.
But if you're talking about sex, if you're 18, you can't have sex with someone under 18 - that's statutory rape - even if she says 'okay'.
You can't vote 'til you're 18. I know some 40 year olds who aren't mature enough to do this, but they do anyway.
You also have to be 18 to purchase smokes (or an absolute idiot, knowing what they do to your body and you choose to do it anyway!)
You have to be 21 to buy/consume alcohol, but that can be a stupid thing to do at any age.
So what exactly are you trying to understand?
2006-10-19 08:02:12 · answer #7 · answered by NEWTOME 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, in Hawaii, the age of consent used to be 14. So I am kinda relieved they raised it up to 16. Even though it is kinda wrong to let 16-year-olds run around and have sex, there aint nothing you can do about it. Unless the govt start putting spy cameras around, they'll neva catch all of them. So trying to raise the age of consent wouldnt do anything but piss ppl off. End of story.
2006-10-19 00:03:51 · answer #8 · answered by fliptastic 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well 16 is only for driving ... and sometimes in other states .. its a little bit older than that ... but 16 ist the legal age for everything.... and you have to be 18 to buy tobbacco and 21 to drink... but keep in mind that that is only MOST of the states...
and really yoru right some 16yr. olds arent mature enough to drive esp. to drive like on a road trip .... like from wilmington, north carolina to myrtle beach ... ( 50 miles) or wilmongton, nc to miami ( 840 miles)
so really your right 16 isnt always the best age for all....
2006-10-19 07:30:47 · answer #9 · answered by statefrogy_05 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some are mature enough. But even if it is illegal, there will still be teens having sex. One of my friends, Ashley, lost her virginity when she was 13 (I was 10, 11, or 12 at the time). I'm pretty sure no state allows sex at that age.
2006-10-19 15:42:43 · answer #10 · answered by George 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they are not. Our reasoning abilities mature around 26..... This is the last part of our brain to mature. It should be the first!! 16 is still being a child, they still have fits and fight about rules parents lay out for them. I had my frist child at 23 and now I think this was still too young when I look back
2006-10-18 23:49:14 · answer #11 · answered by pink9364 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋