Sexual consent: the curious case of the 13 to 16-year-old age category

This paper examines the historical and legal evolution of offences involving sexual activity with 13–16-year-olds, highlighting persistent disparities in sentencing and attitudes toward consent. Tracing debates from the 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act to current interpretations under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it exposes enduring socio-cultural biases and victim-blaming tendencies.