Questions 16-30

About this post

This is a post that answers Q.16-Q.30

16. Is there any countries that lowered their age of consent?

The first country to start the age of consent law was England in 1275 named sector law. The starting age was 12 at that time.  Then, later on most of the country started their age of consent from the age of 10 or 12 in the 1800s. And ever since then the age of consent hasn't been lowered.

17. Is there any additional rules for same sex?

In 1967, the age of consent for same sex was from 21 in England even though, for the opposite sex it was 16. 3 Gay man has fought for this and in 1994 the age has been lowered to 18. But since this was unfair to the same sex so in 2001, age age of consent was lowered to 16 which was the same age as the opposite sex.

18. What are the reasons why the government doesn’t raise the age of consent?

There are multiple reasons as to why the government doesn’t raise the age of consent because every country is currently confused as to what age is the right age of consent. But mostly it could be the reason for religion, culture and history. And even if they raise the age, there will be a loop called child marriage loophole, where if a child marries a adult with parent’s consent it won’t be counted as a rape. 

19. What do the Japanese populous think about the current age of consent?

My guess is that most people are really unhappy with the current age. This is because in 2019, the court has overturned the verdict of a man who raped a child who was between 14 and 19. And since there was a huge backlash against the Japanese politician who said “14 and 50 year old should be legal”.

20. Do Japanese people think that the age of consent should be raised?

I do think that Japanese citizens think that the age of consent should be raised. This can be proven by the NGO made by a community named Voice Up Japan. But for the government they don’t agree since, they think that it should be allowed if both people have consented and had a real love relationship.

21. What are some reason to countries having low age of consent?

As mentioned in (Q.18), the reason for the low age of consent could be because of their culture, history, and religion. For this example, I will be using the Philippines. Their age of consent used to be 12. But this is because since the Philippines was a colony for Spain, they needed to get the same law as Spain, but during the 90s while the other countries were raising their age, Philippines didn’t raise their age. This is the reason why their age used to be 12.

22. Is there any cases where the age of consent law has brought some unfair justice?

As mentioned in (Q.19), in Japan the lower court rejected the verdict of the rape even though, the victim was resisting. This was later on overturned, but if the victim was under 13, it would automatically be judged as rape. It didn’t count as rape just because the victim was over 13. Japan is slowly trying to take this more seriously, if they suddenly change the country might have a hard time grasping.

23. What are the Japanese Governments view on the current age of consent?

As mentioned in (Q.19), the Japanese government thinks that the age of consent shouldn’t be changed because if a girl and a boy consented to each other and had a real love relationship it should be allowed. But not every part of the government agrees on that. Some people has said that age is impossible to have developed the or decisions of sex to begin with. 

24. Is there any huge NGO/NPOs that are trying to increase/decrease the age of consent?

As mentioned in (Q.20), there is a NGO that is trying to increase the age of consent to 16 in Japan named Voice Up Japan. And there is an NGO named Girls Advocacy Alliance from Asia and Africa, to protect young women against violence and economic empowerment. They have sent the position paper to raise the age to 18 in the Philippines and it has worked. 

25. Why would people want to lower the age of consent?

Yes. There are people who want to lower the age of consent. And the reason for it was that “The maturity would’ve already reached before the 10th birthday” Another reason was that if the age of consent was lowered, the children will be allowed to have abortions without parents consent. But these claims are thought as people trying to exploit children for sexual desires. 

26. What countries have never changed the age of consent in their history?

 As mentioned in (Q.16) most countries have changed their age of consent once or twice. But in few countries they have never changed their age of consent. But the most obvious country would be Japan and they haven’t changed their age since 1903.

27. Does states in U.S. have separate age of consent? If so why?

Yes. In the U.S every states have their own age of consent. The lowest being 16, and the highest being 18. And there’s even a special law called “Romeo and Juliet Law” in Texas as mentioned in (Q.4). But why is it different in each state? It is different because the law was decided by each state that they think is the legal age for consent.

28. Does Japanese prefectures have different age of consent depending on the prefecture?

Each of Japan's prefectures does have a different age of consent depending on the prefecture. This was made because of corruption of minors or obscenity status so for those they will raise the age of consent to 16-18. But in some prefectures the age of consent is still 13.

29. If Japan is going to change their age of consent what would it be?

In my opinion I hope that Japan will change their age of consent to 18. But my thoughts are that it’s going to be 16, since 16 is very common around the world as the age of consent and since most Japan’s prefectures have an age of consent of 16-18 mentioned in (Q.28).

30. Has the Japanese government disagreed on raising the age of consent?

As mentioned in (Q.19), the Japanese government did disagree on raising the age of consent. This was because they thought that it should be legal as long as it was a true love relationship and it was consented. But not everyone disagreed on raising the age of consent, as some people have said that “Adults thinking about having relations with a child is wrong in the first place.”

References

16.

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Volokh, E. (2015, May 1). Statutory rape laws and ages of consent in the U.S. Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/05/01/statutory-rape-laws-in-the-u-s/

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Love wins! Age of consent equalised for gay and bi men. (2019, July 25). Stonewall. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/love-wins-age-consent-equalised-gay-and-bi-men

Two decades after age of consent was equalised for gay men, LGBTQI rights have stalled. (2020, December 1). openDemocracy. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/two-decades-after-age-consent-was-equalised-gay-men-lgbtqi-rights-have-stalled/

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Richards, M. (2018, April 4). Why the age of sexual consent continues to be a worldwide challenge. The Conversation. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/why-the-age-of-sexual-consent-continues-to-be-a-worldwide-challenge-94334

19.

Montgomery, H. (2021, June 8). Japanese Politician Regrets Saying It’s OK to Have Sex with 14-Year-Old. Vice. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/akgkzj/japan-age-of-consent-sex

What are Japanese experts’ opinions on consent for sex between an adult and child? (2021, June 15). The Mainichi. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210614/p2a/00m/0na/032000c

20.

Johnston, E. (2021, August 3). Pressure builds over raising Japan’s age of consent. The Japan Times. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/08/02/national/japan-age-of-consent-debate/#:%7E:text=What%27s%20the%20legal%20age%20of,such%20consent%20is%20legally%20valid.

Oshima A. H. A. (2021, July 16). Age of Consent in Japan: Are the Youth Protected and Empowered by the Current Laws and Guidelines? Voice Up Japan. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://voiceupjapan.org/ja/age-of-consent-in-japan-are-the-youth-protected-and-empowered-by-the-current-laws-and-guidelines/

21.

Age of Consent: Statutory Rape Crimes. (2021, May 19). WebMD. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/sex/age-of-consent

Yeung, J. C. (2021, July 13). In the Philippines, it’s legal to have sex with a 12-year-old. Activists are trying to change that. CNN. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/10/asia/philippines-age-of-consent-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

22.

Johnston, E. (2021, August 3). Pressure builds over raising Japan’s age of consent. The Japan Times. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/08/02/national/japan-age-of-consent-debate/#:%7E:text=What%27s%20the%20legal%20age%20of,such%20consent%20is%20legally%20valid

Skinner, M. (2020, June 3). Sexual violence in Japan and how law is still playing catch up. Zenbird. Retrieved July 22, 2020, from https://zenbird.media/sexual-violence-in-japan-and-how-law-is-still-playing-catch-up/

23.

Montgomery, H. (2021, June 8). Japanese Politician Regrets Saying It’s OK to Have Sex with 14-Year-Old. Vice. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/akgkzj/japan-age-of-consent-sex

What are Japanese experts’ opinions on consent for sex between an adult and child? (2021, June 15). The Mainichi. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210614/p2a/00m/0na/032000c

24.

About GAA. (2016). Girls Advocacy Alliance. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://www.girlsadvocacyalliance.org/about/

Admin, C. (2020, May 6). POSITION PAPER ON THE RAISING OF THE AGE TO DETERMINE STATUTORY RAPE (GIRLS ADVOCACY ALLIANCE) | Children’s Legal Bureau. Children’s Legal Breau, Inc. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://clb.org.ph/2020/05/06/position-paper-on-the-raising-of-the-age-to-determine-statutory-rape-girls-advocacy-alliance/

Oshima A. H. A. (2021, July 16). Age of Consent in Japan: Are the Youth Protected and Empowered by the Current Laws and Guidelines? Voice Up Japan. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://voiceupjapan.org/ja/age-of-consent-in-japan-are-the-youth-protected-and-empowered-by-the-current-laws-and-guidelines/

25.

Booth, R. (2017, November 30). Whitehall study wanted age of consent lowered to 14 and sentences for sex cut. The Guardian. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/08/lower-age-consent-14-1979-home-office-report

Tribe, L. H. (2019, August 3). Should the age of sexual consent be lowered? NBC News. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/should-age-sexual-consent-be-lowered-ncna1038916

26.

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27.

Age of Consent by State 2022. (2022). World Population Review. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/age-of-consent-by-state

Barnett, B. (2018, May 29). What is the Age of Consent in All 50 States? | Legal Age of Consent Map. Fort Worth Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Family Law. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://www.bhwlawfirm.com/legal-age-consent-united-states-map/

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Japan Age of Consent & Statutory Rape Laws. (2022). AgeOfConsent. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/japan

Murigi, E. (2018, January 31). What Is the Age of Consent in Japan? WorldAtlas. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-age-of-consent-in-japan.html

29.

Age of Consent by Country 2022. (2022). World Population Review. Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/age-of-consent-by-country\

Murigi, E. (2018, January 31). What Is the Age of Consent in Japan? WorldAtlas. Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-age-of-consent-in-japan.html

30.

Montgomery, H. (2021, June 8). Japanese Politician Regrets Saying It’s OK to Have Sex with 14-Year-Old. Vice. Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/akgkzj/japan-age-of-consent-sex

What are Japanese experts’ opinions on consent for sex between an adult and child? (2021, June 15). The Mainichi. Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210614/p2a/00m/0na/032000c