Age of Consent

The Age of consent is the minimum age a when a person is considered to be able of consenting to sexual activities. Many different countries have different opinions and different laws about the law of consent. But to be more appropriate for us I will discuss the United States law of consent. Historically the ages of consent was around the age of twelve and in some cases even lower but people have been working to raise it. Now the age of consent is the age of sixteen or eighteen depending on the state in which they live. Is the age of consent a good thing or a bad think and how does it affect people?  The age of consent is there like most laws to protect and help people. The is there were older men particularly, can be women , will not have sex with younger people and force sex upon them. Also until the age of sixteen people are no thought to be mentally competent enough to have sex. Although its for the safely of the people, the people who are in it are restricted to whom they date and have sex with based on age.  This law effects people decisions because it limits them to who they can date and may force them to hide relationships because of fear of the law. This can lead to family problems and problems with friends because that person has to hide this fact and make up excuses to cover up for where they were and what they were doing. In my personal life this law has not affected me, because all the people I have dated have been within these law restrictions and around my own age. I also practiced abstinence so I,m affected by this  this law almost  none at all.   People within this law are then defined as only being able to get close to those of their age.  This law is inclusive of everyone because anyone can be involved with it without knowing or may know about it. This law may restrict us but it does so in a good way. The age of consent law has a lot to do with it being believed until the age of consent ,whatever it may be, the person is not competent enough to have sex.Like how Bracton mentions people being defined by their disability this is similar. If a mentally disabled person has right taken or given , it logical that younger less matured minds should be given the same. But like in Iron Jawed Angels, women were thought to be less intelligent than men and we know this isn't true, who's to say at what level of intellect certain people regardless of age can be.

Age of Consent-Double Standard?
This video discusses if women and men are treated different if they are the older individual in a statutory rape charge. It questions if women are charged with this less because of the fact of them being women.

Statutory Rape and Age of Consent
This video describes the Age of Consent and Statutory Rape into more detail and  helps you understand the law better.