70,000 members. How many is that per country?

I was surprised when I recently discovered that the age of consent in Spain was 13. Therefore, if a Spanish adult at 18 has sex with a 13-year-old, there is no offence committed in law.

In the UK, the adult of 18 would be labelled a paedophile, the UK defining a child as someone under the age of 14.

I think that’s where the earlier annoyance arose in this thread, and on top of that, even quite clear writing can be interpreted in different ways by the reader – us readers read what we want to read, and our neighbours will do the same and come to a different conclusion.

IME, there are 13 year olds and 13 year olds!! Without going into my history, at 13 I could easily get away with being 16, 17, I knew what I wanted, I knew how to behave and I was just as capable then as now in deciding for myself how far I wanted to go with my boyfriend. Anything sexual that is forced or against someones will is rape at any age! Its the assumption that all 13 year olds look and behave like children is when it becomes paedophilia - but alot dont!


Jo xxx

Well yes, there is concern in the UK that if a 17 or 18 year old in the UK sleeps with someone 14 or 15, they can be taken to court and then added to the sex offenders list. I realise in some cases this could be seen as appropriate, but since we're told that girls mature earlier than boys, I do wonder if the law is too strict. It is a difficult issue, and I'm sure the parents of teenage girls will have a strong view point too, but to me it's not what I recognise by the term paedophile.

So it would be quiet legal fo a say a 50 year old to sleep with a 13 year old in Spain, thats dispicable I suppose the statestitions can make Spain look like a safer place for kids by having a low age of consent, outragousIf there was no age of consent then I guess there would be no paedophiles,society is really screwed up in many areas.

No. As someone said earlier, you need to be a minor (under 18) in order to sleep with a minor (although I cant confirm that because I am not googling those kind of search terms!). The same law as in the Netherlands which is always quoted as being cutting edge and liberal.

Something works in Spain because there are a lot fewer teenage abortions and pregnancies which suggests that teenagers are in control of their sex lives.

Now that's a good point. It's why I think it's a good idea to class sex between under 16s as different between an adult and an under 16.

which is almost certainly why the law works in Spain

In South Carolina, USA the minimum age for marriage is 14 for girls and 16 for boys, with parental consent. Just saying.....in case anyone is singling out Spain as a "backward" place.

Sorry, but you are making a fundamental mistake by linking paedophilia to age of consent.

A person male or female sleeping with someone under the age of consent in their country does NOT automatically become a paedophile. It is not linked to age of consent AT ALL. Even though if you read the Daily Mail they like to make it seem like it so. Paedophilia is a term used to describe someone who is attracted to prepubescent children. "Prepubescent", as in not having developed any sexual characteristics.

So, a paedophile ALWAYS breaks the age of consent law. But, breaking the age of consent law does not make one a paedophile. Paedophilia is a much more serious and vile offence.

Remember, not too long ago, Page 3 girls could appear topless at 16. NOW, due to child pornography laws it is illegal. And anybody in posession of such pictures would be in serious trouble and be branded a paedophile.

Dose in my book or maybe the term nonce is more appropiate , anyone who has a sexual relationship with a minor regardless of the childs appearance is a sick individual what ever label you want to put on them .

I think the term 'Inadequate ' also applies.

And by doing so, you are diluting the seriousness of the definition of paedopilia. Paedophiles are truly sick individuals. In many US states for example, the age of consent is 18. By your definition, the person who sleeps with a 17 year old and another who molests a 7 year old are equal.

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Something works in Spain because there are a lot fewer teenage abortions and pregnancies which suggests that teenagers are in control of their sex lives.[/QUOTE]

No welfare state springs to mind.

No welfare state springs to mind.[/QUOTE]

No guaranteed council house for unemployed single mothers here