Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Historically, the heterosexual age of consent in Britain has enshrined in law an asymmetrically gendered model of sexual agency. This legislation is currently under review as part of a wider review of the law on sexual offences premised on gender neutrality. In this article young people’s own perspectives are explored, through discussion of the proposition that the age of consent for heterosexuals should be lowered to 14. The ensuing focus-group discussions with 11–16-year-olds reflect the active way in which young people encounter and negotiate the institutionalization of heterosexuality represented by such legislation. The article explores young people’s perspectives through themes of legality, protection and timeliness, seeking to distinguish between how young people may evaluate or use the existing legal framework and the factors that they believe make sex legitimate.

Keywords

consent heterosexuality law young people

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bragg, S. and Buckingham, D. (2002) Young People and Sexual Content on Television: A Review of the Research. London: British Broadcasting Standards Commission .

Beck, U. (1992) Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity. London: Sage .

Coleman, J. (1998) ‘Puberty: Is it Happening Earlier?’ Young Minds Magazine 34(May/June): 14–15 .

Coles, B. (1995) Youth and Social Policy. London: Routledge .

Epstein, D. and Johnson, R. (1998) Schooling Sexualities. Buckingham: Open University Press .

Evans, D. (1993) Sexual Citizenship: The Materialist Construction of Sexualities. London: Routledge .

Furlong, A. and Cartmel, F. (1997) Young People and Social Change. Buckingham: Open University Press .

Gavey, N. (1993) ‘Technologies and Effects of Heterosexual Coercion’, in S. Wilkinson and S. Kitzinger (eds) Heterosexuality: A Feminism and Psychology Reader, pp. 93–119. London: Sage .

Harris, N. (ed.) (1996) Children, Sex Education and the Law. London: National Children’s Bureau .

10.

Holland, J. , Ramazanoglu, C. , Sharpe, S. and Thomson, R. (1998) The Male in the Head: Young People, Heterosexuality and Power. London: Tufnell Press .

11.

Ingham, R. (1997) The Development of an Integrated Model of Sexual Conduct Amongst Young People. End of award report No.H52427501495, Economic and Social Research Council .

12.

Innocenti (2001) A League Table of Teenage Births in Rich Countries: Innocenti report card issue 3. Florence: UNICEF .

13.

Johnson, A. , Wadsworth, J. , Wellings, K. , Field, J. (1994) Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. London: Blackwell Scientific Publications .

14.

Jones, G. (1995) Leaving Home. Buckingham: Open University Press .

15.

Jones, G. and Bell, R. (2000) Balancing Acts: Youth, Parenting and Public Policy. York: York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation .

16.

McNair, B. (2002) Striptease Culture: Sex, Media and the Democratisation of Desire. London: Routledge .

17.

Monk, D. (1998) ‘Sex Education and the Problematization of Teenage Pregnancy: A Genealogy of Law and Governance’ , Social and Legal Studies 7(2): 239–259 .

18.

Moore, S. and Rosenthal, D. (1998) ‘Adolescent Sexual Behaviour’, in D. Roker and J. Coleman (eds) Teenage Sexuality: Health, Risks and Education, pp. 35–59. Reading: Harwood Academic .

19.

Plummer, K. (1995) Telling Sexual Stories: Power, Change and Social Worlds. London: Routledge .

20.

Richardson, D. (1998) ‘Sexuality and Citizenship’ , Sociology 32(1): 83–100 .

21.

Scott, S. , Jackson, S. and Backett-Milburn, K. (1998) ‘Swings and Roundabouts: Risk Anxiety in the Everyday Worlds of Children’ , Sociology 32(4): 689–707 .

22.

Stainton Rogers, W. and Stainton Rogers, R. (1999) ‘What is Good and Bad Sex for Children?’, in M. King (ed.) Moral Agendas for Children’s Welfare, pp. 179–197. London: Routledge .

23.

Thomson, R. (2000a) ‘Authority’, in J. Rutherford (ed.), The Art of Life. London: Lawrence and Wishart .

24.

Thomson, R. (2000b) ‘Dream on: The Logic of Sexual Practice’ , Journal of Youth Studies 4(4): 407–427 .

25.

Thomson, R. and Scott, S. (1991) Learning about Sex. London: Tufnell Press .

26.

Thomson, R. , Henderson, S. , Holland, J. , McGrellis, S. and Sharpe, S. (1999) ‘Youth Values: Identity, Diversity and Social Change: Final Report to the ESRC’. Economic Social Research Council : available at www.lsbu/fhss/ff

27.

Thomson, R. , McGrellis, S. , Holland, J. , Henderson, S. and Sharpe, S. (2000) ‘From “Peter Andre’s Six Pack” to “I Do Knees” The Body in Young People’s Moral Discourse’, in K. Milburn-Backett and L. McKie (eds), Gendered Bodies, pp. 141–161. London: Macmillan .

28.

Tronto J. (1993) Moral Boundaries: A Political Argument for an Ethic of Care. London: Routledge .

29.

Waites, M. (1999) ‘The Age of Consent and Sexual Citizenship in the United Kingdom: A History’, in J. Seymour and R. Bagguley (eds) Relating Intimacies: Power and Resistance. London: Macmillan .

30.

Waites, M. (2002) ‘Adult Sexual Abuse of a Child?’ , New Law Journal 152 (7047): 1342-1342 .

31.

Weeks, J. (1995) Invented Moralities: Sexual Values in an Age of Uncertainty. Cambridge: Polity .

‘An Adult Thing’? Young People’s Perspectives on the Heterosexual Age of Consent

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References