By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterOFFICIALS FROM at least two children's welfare groups yesterday backed a proposal from Opposition parliamentarian, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, that Government should raise the age of consent from 16 years old.
The groups want the age requirement brought in line with the definition of a child as anyone 17 years and under, as outlined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The 'age of consent' is the legally defined age at which females can consent to sexual intercourse.
Ms. Grange, Member of Parliament for Central St. Catherine, had proposed in the House in December that the age limit be raised to 18 while debating a resolution before the House on how to treat with victims of sexual crimes.
Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Betty Ann Blaine, convenor of Hear The Children's Cry Committee, and Carol Samuels, executive director of the Jamaica Coalition on the Rights of the Child (JCRC), said they were in full support of a new limit.
"I would support the increase from 16. I believe with the problems we have, both in how children are being raised and in the education system, a lot of children are not prepared or equipped at that age to make the right kind of decisions," Ms Blaine said.
"It would be one way of ensuring that our children are protected. It should be something to look at based on the realities of the Jamaican society but it should be properly debated. It should not be done without proper discussion among children's organisations, parents' groups (and) PTAs."
Ms Samuels said the Coalition has presented written submissions to Government, advocating that the age of consent should be moved to at least 17.
FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS
But she warned that any move to change the consent age would have far reaching legal implications as it would mean changing other legislation based on age, among them, the right of 16-year-olds to marry once they have parental consent.
The age of consent was last raised from 14 to 16 more than a decade ago, with beneficial results, according to the JCRC head. She said local officials should adjust the age again, seeing that they were shaping legislation such as the Child Care and Protection Bill within the framework of the United Nations Convention.
For her part, Ms. Blaine is asking Jamaica to make 2004 the 'Year of the Jamaican Child' by making a personal commitment to improve children's quality of life. "We have seen a lot of tragedy affecting Jamaican children during 2003. There have been children dying in fires, babies becoming victims of gun violence and the revelation of terrible abuse of children in national children's homes. I think we should all take a vow that 2004 will be different for our children. We do not want a repeat of these horrors," Ms. Blaine said.
For her part, Ms. Grange wants the right social environment to be created at home for children.
"We create a situation where we have mother, father and ten kids in one room and they are all sharing. We cannot have that kind of environment and expect that you are not going to have problems," she said.
Referring to girls' increased risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and growing cases of sexual abuse, Ms. Grange said, "we have to ensure that our girls are protected and given the best opportunity in life. I am not saying that we must not take care of our young males as well but our young girls are at greater risk."
VULNERABLE GROUPS
In her submissions before the House, Ms. Grange also advocated for more training for community officers, social workers and counsellors working with vulnerable groups.
The resolution was introduced by Sharon Hay-Webster, MP-South Central St. Catherine, who is pushing for speedy amendments to legislation such as the Offences Against the Persons Act, to protect victims of rape and incest.
