At what age is someone mature enough to date/have sex? How much is too much of an age difference?

[Peremensoe]

@Otara

I dont think thats being questioned, its more ‘what age could you set where April couldnt occur’.

A person with no self esteem is a person with no self esteem. There may be particular ages that reduce this issue, but there will never be one that eliminates it.

Yes, but shouldn’t we be more concerned about a child who treats herself/allows herself to be treated this way, versus an adult?

[Steophan]

@Zeriel

Would you or would you not agree that age is an important part of informed consent? It certainly is in other aspects of law: contract law, for example, where the conditions under which a minor can be bound to a contract are practically speaking nonexistent.

I think maturity is an important part of informed consent, and I also think age is not the same as maturity.

What exactly do you mean by “bound to a contract” in your post? Under-18s can be employed, for example, with a contract to provide services for money. In the UK, it’s possible for under-18s to rent property, have bank accounts, and some (but by no means all) other things.

[Sierra_Indigo]

At 17 years old I had moved halfway across the country, had finished year 12 nearly a year beforehand, had been working full time since before my 17th birthday, and in the new city was searching for full time work and supporting myself.

Any attempt by anyone to tell me who I could or couldnt’ have sex with would have been met with laughs of derision or just simply ignoring their dumb ass.

[Steophan]

@Sierra_Indigo

At 17 years old I had moved halfway across the country, had finished year 12 nearly a year beforehand, had been working full time since before my 17th birthday, and in the new city was searching for full time work and supporting myself.

Any attempt by anyone to tell me who I could or couldnt’ have sex with would have been met with laughs of derision or just simply ignoring their dumb ass.

Are you in the UK? That’s pretty normal here, but seems to be unusual in America.

[Sierra_Indigo]

Australia, but in terms of leaving home age and such UK and Aus are pretty much the same

[Steophan]

@Sierra_Indigo

Australia, but in terms of leaving home age and such UK and Aus are pretty much the same

Although halfway across the country is significantly further!

[Sierra_Indigo]

Yup, Adelaide to Sydney if that makes it any clearer

[Zeriel]

@Steophan

I think maturity is an important part of informed consent, and I also think age is not the same as maturity.

What exactly do you mean by “bound to a contract” in your post? Under-18s can be employed, for example, with a contract to provide services for money. In the UK, it’s possible for under-18s to rent property, have bank accounts, and some (but by no means all) other things.

Over here in the US, you have to jump through hoops to be employed at under 16 or under 18 (this depends on the state, and whether you’re emancipated, iirc).

With regards to any contract, a minor under 18 in the US (as I understand it, again) can opt to dissolve any contract at any time citing their minor status as effective lack of capacity to consent, and returning the state of both parties as nearly as possible to the pre-contract conditions. Normally we get around this with a parental co-sign on this side of the pond.