There is never a situation where they are the criminal but an adult wouldn’t be, as opposed to, for example, buying alcohol. So the harm falls on their lovers, not them.
But in most places, sex between two minors is illegal (edit: below a certain age, not just below the age of majority), and both are liable. And while court cases are rare, punishment at school and at home is common, and most teenagers have to vet their romantic partners with their parents.
More generally, and more importantly, minors have substantial privileges. People are legally obliged to care for them and ensure they have a certain standard of health. Schools are obliged to educate them for free.
Like Alicorn said, these are privileges that should be extended to adults. In many countries, a standard of free health care is guaranteed to all. In some countries, university education is free to all citizens. I’d like to see more of that.
Crimes against them are punished far more severely.
But this is only necessary because they’re prevented from defending themselves the way adults would. Most crimes against young people (it’s silly to call 16 year olds “children”) are done by someone the law forces them to be in daily contact with, even if they hate that person. Such as parents and family and schoolyard bullies. (Most people aren’t allowed to veto their K12 school, class, or teachers.)
Their own crimes a punished (usually) far less severely
If we’re taking the US as a reference point, I would argue that adults should be punished a lot less for most crimes...
Crimes against them are punished far more severely.
I have to correct myself after reading your answer. I think in reality, counting parents, relatives, and schoolteachers, people really aren’t punished more severely when they commit crimes against children. Particularly parents. It’s only strangers who commit crimes against children, or people who commit sexually based offenses against them, that we really bother punishing.
On the other hand, it would be really interesting to see a workable alternative system proposed. This is all, “Kids don’t have these rights!” as opposed to, “Here’s the rights we should give them, how we’d enforce those rights, and how it would work out for the better!”
But in most places, sex between two minors is illegal, and both are liable.
Googling it says otherwise. In 27 states, there’s a “grace period” in which minors can consent within a certain age range, and in 10 states the defendant must explicitly be an adult. Facts are fun!
I stand corrected… So, although the age limit varies by state and is not the same as the age of majority (gaining full legal rights), every state has an age limit below which sex is illegal in all circumstances; usually around 14, but 17 or 18 in a few states. The separately stated age above which all intercourse is valid (i.e., with much older people) is 16 in most states, never lower.
Wikipedia also has an interesting map of worldwide age of consent by country (not representing rules for age differentials or categories). Oh, and quite a few Western countries have laws against specific sexual acts or against certain numbers or sexes of participants.
But in most places, sex between two minors is illegal (edit: below a certain age, not just below the age of majority), and both are liable. And while court cases are rare, punishment at school and at home is common, and most teenagers have to vet their romantic partners with their parents.
Like Alicorn said, these are privileges that should be extended to adults. In many countries, a standard of free health care is guaranteed to all. In some countries, university education is free to all citizens. I’d like to see more of that.
But this is only necessary because they’re prevented from defending themselves the way adults would. Most crimes against young people (it’s silly to call 16 year olds “children”) are done by someone the law forces them to be in daily contact with, even if they hate that person. Such as parents and family and schoolyard bullies. (Most people aren’t allowed to veto their K12 school, class, or teachers.)
If we’re taking the US as a reference point, I would argue that adults should be punished a lot less for most crimes...
I have to correct myself after reading your answer. I think in reality, counting parents, relatives, and schoolteachers, people really aren’t punished more severely when they commit crimes against children. Particularly parents. It’s only strangers who commit crimes against children, or people who commit sexually based offenses against them, that we really bother punishing.
On the other hand, it would be really interesting to see a workable alternative system proposed. This is all, “Kids don’t have these rights!” as opposed to, “Here’s the rights we should give them, how we’d enforce those rights, and how it would work out for the better!”
Googling it says otherwise. In 27 states, there’s a “grace period” in which minors can consent within a certain age range, and in 10 states the defendant must explicitly be an adult. Facts are fun!
I stand corrected… So, although the age limit varies by state and is not the same as the age of majority (gaining full legal rights), every state has an age limit below which sex is illegal in all circumstances; usually around 14, but 17 or 18 in a few states. The separately stated age above which all intercourse is valid (i.e., with much older people) is 16 in most states, never lower.
Wikipedia also has an interesting map of worldwide age of consent by country (not representing rules for age differentials or categories). Oh, and quite a few Western countries have laws against specific sexual acts or against certain numbers or sexes of participants.
Could you elaborate?