General Chat

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2321473/Age-consent-lowered-13-stop-persecution-old-men-sex-assault-victims-SHOULDNT-anonymity-says-leading-barrister.html

I'm so angry right now I can barely breathe.

I was just reading this on FB , and much the same level of disbelief I think.

re re edit ...which is obviously why I am having trouble getting my words right...will try again in a minute.

Same here Rose...I think I need to sleep on it ......my expletive capacity is in overdrive just at the mo............

Does this sorry excuse for a woman have children?.. I`m simply appalled and speechless. :-0 :-|

Obviously Barbara Hewson, is a complete dimwit. I have edited the word dimwit, it wasn't my first choice of word, but the most polite word I could think of.

In the interest of fairness, and given my mistrust of anything written in the Daily Mail, this is the original article

http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/13604/

I cannot express my views on this sorry excuse for womanhood on an open forum.

Age of consent....13! FGS a 'get out of jail free' card for every bloody male with a penchant for young girls.

I can't say anymore cos I will offend people.

I'm considering starting an epetition to get this woman struck off.

My first thought was.......

Which one of the celebrities does she know personally?

Even if she got her wish, and the age was lowered, these alleged crimes were committed when the age of consent was 16, so, if proven, they're still guilty.

Just found this:
"The age of consent hasn’t always been 16 in England. Before 1885, the age of consent was 13, until the law was changed to end child prostitution"

So, she welcomes child prostitution at 13? 16 is sad enough!

Perhaps this allegedly 'clever' woman should learn through history.

So easy when you're on the outisde looking in,


wonders how she would feel defending a 13 yo who was pregnant and possibly her daughter ?,,,,,, :-

My daughter is almost 13 and the very thought of this affects my brain in ways i never believed possible.........

I can't believe she:
" described the crimes committed by disgraced broadcaster Stuart Hall as 'low level misdemeanours' which would not normally be prosecuted."

Stuart Hall has admitted luring girls, including a 9 year old to a 'special room', set up for sex FFS - and THAT's low level??????

Edit: Mind you, this is the Daily Mail, so I looked elsewhere - and yes it's reported on Sky and 'Spiked'.

deep breath...

It seems obvious to me , and please correct me if you disagree with my interpretation, I have only read through quickly...that Ms Hewson, confuses 'the age of puberty ( which she states is now age 10 where once it was 15) with what I would call the 'age of emotional and physical maturity' ...NOT the same thing.

At 16 even , though you are at the age of consent, many people aren't mature enough emotionally or socially to deal with unwanted sexual advances. NO ONE I don't think can really believe that any 13 year old is emotionally mature enough to have full knowledge of what they are agreeing to if letting an adult have sexual contact ( sorry picking words carefully but you know what I mean) nor that they would be able to say 'No!' if the adult was coercing them, persuading or otherwise using 'undue influence'.

I'm not saying this at all well , but it just boils down to knowing that 16 is the minimum age it should ever be, if children are to have a childhood.

I would have age of consent set at 21,


7.17 27 or 87,,,,,,,,,sexual abuse is sexual abuse.and all should be treated with the same disgust,

Muffy, re petition....imo. in suggesting the age of consent be lowered to 13 she is also suggesting that at least one of the clauses in the UN Convention on the rights of the child ( ie under 18) be broken, certainly the first .

ie

The right to a childhood (including protection from harm)
The right to be educated (including all girls and boys completing primary school)
The right to be healthy (including having clean water, nutritious food and medical care)
The right to be treated fairly (including changing laws and practices that are unfair on children)
The right to be heard (including considering children's views)

I'm horrified but also sad that someone like this could even think her views are right. I would feel sorry for her if she wasn't so dangerous to the well being of our children.

Edit - before someone says that I'm in Australia and it doesn't affect me (it has been said before) - I have family and friends in the UK. A niece who is 13 and several nephews aged 11+.

A 13 year old does not have the emotional maturity to handle a sexual relationship. Some (girls) may plaster themselves with make up during the day, but go to bed clutching their favourite soft toy.

It's not unknown for young teenagers to use the age of consent as an excuse if they feel they are being coerced by someone in their peer group. Lower the age of consent and they will be more vulnerable to peer pressure let alone unwanted attention and grooming by adults.

The only suggestion she made which *might* be considered is a statute of limitations for sexual misconduct other than rape.

Its not the age that needs to be lowered its one tariff for offenders, a set 20 years should be put in place.!

Words fail me, well except the words that crossed my mind when I read this article, and I cannot use those words on here ;-)

Barbara Hewson should be reported to The Bar Council for making totally unacceptable remarks that are insulting, degrading, and an affront to human decency :-|

Muffy if you start a petition let me know, I will be very happy to sign it, the woman is a complete idiot, I think our children need protecting from any male, [celebrity or not] who thinks it ok to abuse them.
Jean xx

To Barbara Hewson :-P :-P :-P