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Marshall: Let 13-year-olds have sex

Scotland's children's commissioner is calling for the age of consent to be lowered to 13 for sexual partners of similar ages.

Kathleen Marshall thinks 13 to 15-year-olds who have sex with each other should not be criminalised.

Over-16s who have sex with a minor could still be prosecuted under her proposal, backed by the Family Planning Association, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, Barnados and the Brook Advisory Service.

Her comments are contained in response to a government consultation on clarifying laws on rape and other sexual offences.

Current prosecution policy means cases of consenting older children rarely come to court. But there are fears that decriminalising sex between under-16s will send the wrong message.

Alistair Stevenson of the Evangelical Alliance Scotland added: “We do not believe criminal law has a role in promoting the sexual autonomy of children. Teens would be encouraged to engage in sexual experimentation, increasing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.”

Criticism has also come from health and welfare groups including Rape Crisis Scotland.

Full story at the Sunday Times.