The Legal Age of Sexual Consent in Georgia

One of the most controversial age-related laws is the sexual consent law, limiting sexual relations between people 16 to 18 years of age. There is not a national consensus because an agreeance cannot be met to accommodate the viewpoints of all 50 states. The state of Georgia defines the age for legal sexual consent to be 16 regardless of gender (some sates have specific guidelines concerning the age difference between guy and girl.) This law was recently altered because of the sudden and rapid increase in sexual activity at a young age. The current generation has “matured” so much faster than generations previous and has created new societal norms that seem irreversible at their current stage. 

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The law allows for teenagers to provide consent for sexual activity at just 16 years of age. Most elders argue it is way too soon in their young lives and that the decisions it allows for are irrational and irresponsible. Personally, I was unaware or uninterested in sex as a younger teen and concerned about more revolutionary things at the age of 16, such as driving. This law no longer has an affect on me or provides hindrance because I am a legal adult at 18 years old, which appears to be the uppermost limit for sexual consent nationwide. It does, however, affect people I know that are underage, such as my younger sibling. The main importance of this law is usually implemented in legal cases ranging from assault to statutory rape. Now, a young 16 year old can be sexually abused or raped without consent and therefore mentally scarred, but the perpetrator can potentially walk free without punishment (provided the inability to supply sufficient evidence or other stipulations in court.) It is viewed as morally incorrect for an immense age gap to be present between two individuals engaging in sex, as shown in the video provided in the following link.

http://wkrg.com/788915/ (The video is an example in Alabama whose age of consent is also 16.)           

Extreme cases like the one exemplified in the video make the law so controversial and allows for a broader acceptance of those who do not follow the moral standard in our country. This law defines a person by giving young children the ability to make decisions that could potentially be detrimental to their futures (unplanned pregnancies, diseases, etc.) It contradicts the legal definition of an adult in the United States, which allows for most legal decisions to be made at the age of 18.  The Constitution is not contradictory with every new age-related law; instead it continually refers back to the establishment of an adult as the basis for many of its choices. Another related text is A Vindication of the Rights of Men by Mary Wollstonecraft because it discusses desire characteristic of all men, including sex. The author believes in a utopian society that accommodates all people, similar to the intent of the U.S. government. 


The chart below provides the legal ages of consent for each state.

http://www.ageofconsent.com/comments/numberone.htm

Georgia Laws