Age of Consent
Why does the age of consent for homosexual relationships differ? Is it simply a social construct or is it based on any hard and fast scientific evidence?
The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered by law to be capable of agreeing to sex. It is just a number, but a number which varies greatly around the world. It is bound up with child protection, notions of honour and marriage, and concerns about paedophilia and society’s strange obsession with lust.
Mike Williams asks whether the broad range of ages implies the number is simply a social construct or if it is based on any hard and fast scientific evidence.
For much of history, laws have regulated relationships between women and men, girls and boys but why does the age of consent for homosexual relationships differ?
(Photo: Cartoon graphics of two hands with question marks on a red background, asking yes or no)
Last on
Clip
-
‘Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo’
Duration: 01:50
Broadcasts
- Fri 22 Jan 2016 20:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Fri 22 Jan 2016 21:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Australasia, East Asia, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 02:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 03:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Online, East Asia, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 04:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service South Asia
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 05:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Australasia
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 07:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 13:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Mon 25 Jan 2016 14:32GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East, East Asia, West and Central Africa & South Asia only
Get the podcast
Subscribe or download individual episodes for free
Why do we look the way we do?
Tattoos, trainers, jeans, hair, ties ... why?
Podcast
-
The Why Factor
The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions