Good question. The answer is that for all of history until post-WWII, there wasn't even much of a concept of "adolescence". People were children until they became sexually mature, and then they were adults. Boys became men and had adult responsibilities, and girls became women and had adult responsibilities. This was the norm nearly everywhere in the world since before recorded history.
If you look at just US history, it wasn't until after WWII that it was normal for almost everyone to complete high school. Prior to that, most people in rural areas only completed 8th Grade, and only people in urban areas (suburbs largely didn't exist) or from wealthy families continued on to 12th grade, much less college. Most of the population was rural and worked on farms or supported those who did, and most of the urban population worked manufacturing jobs.
Boys typically were considered men by 15 or 16, and girls were considered women at puberty, which was typically 12-13. Prior to WWII, the average marriage age for women in the US was 15, and girls getting married as young as 12 and 13 wasn't especially remarkable. Unmarried 18-year-old women were considered "spinsters" and "old maids." It was widely recognized that younger mothers not only had the best chance of conceiving and giving birth to healthy children, but also had the best chance of having enough children that some would survive into adulthood. Remember that infant mortality was about 20% before modern medicine, and that women having their first child after age 30 was almost unheard of; most women that old couldn't conceive (no IVF back then!). If a woman wanted children, she generally had to have them between the ages of 14 and 30. We don't even get married until an average age of 30 today!
Most US states that had an "age of consent" put the age for women at 12 or 13, and some didn't even have such an age listed. These low ages of consent continued unchanged until the late 60s/early 70s, when the Women's Movement started pushing for a wide range of changes to the law, and one of these was to increase the age of consent to much higher ages. Even into the 90s, several states hadn't changed their AoC; Texas's was 14 at the time of the 1993 Branch Davidian raid in Waco, and was only changed due to the resulting political pressure.
The point of all this is: life in the US and other 1st World countries made MASSIVE changes post-WWII. HS educations became standard, college educations became increasingly common (they got a big boost with the Vietnam-era GI bill), suburbs were created, and for the first time, working a farm or a manufacturing job was the exception. Add in modern medicine and birth control, and we've radically changed many aspects of our lives compared to all of history before. They're "normal" to us now, but if you check your grandparents and great-grandparents, you'll probably be surprised at how young they married and how many children they had. Life was WAY different before WWII.
Wow, 12 is mighty young. Some girls haven't had a period yet at that point. What country has that?
I think that if you're 16, you should be able to have sex with anyone 16 and older. I hate it when they make it so complex. If you're responsible enough to have sex, you're responsible enough to have it with anyone else considered responsible to have sex. What bothers me is all the exceptions and funky rules. Why put all these people in jail over technicalities? If you're 16 and up, you can have sex with anybody, that should be the rule IMHO.
Dafuq
21 in Cameroon
Most of the nations listed were "founded" upon Christian principles or are Islam majority nations where Sharia Law is or was practiced
They're different because the cultures around the world are different. Some cultures "value" marriage and monogamy while being a bit more homogenous religious/ethnicity wise while other nations like the US are larger and a bit more diverse
I think AOC should be 16 everywhere...That way the parents of 16 year old Suzy can't try to send her boyfriend to jail for statutory rape when they realize she's f***ing him and the whole football team.
Also, the lower it goes, the more I'm inclined to believe Herbert the perverts will continue pushing the issue. It gets to 14, then 12 then they think it's a free for all.
That, pretty much, sums it up. However, I'd like to add that women are having sex with under age boys at a rate we have not seen before.
Thanks for your input and pointing out Cameroon (sorry I missed that). I had a feeling it had to do with marriage and religion but wasn't sure at first. I agree 16 everywhere sounds reasonable but no lower.
it still doesn't compare to the demand for young girls
Because cultural norms, religious influences, views on sexuality, justice systems etc. are all different.
When I was a teenager the age of consent in my country was 14 (I've heard it's recently been changed to 16, but I'm not sure). Back then I had a relationship with an older man (we're not together anymore but he's my best friend to this very day) and to think he would be going to jail in some countries simply for loving me is just so weird. I was mature enough, I knew what I was doing, I wanted it, I don't regret a thing. The assumption that a teenager isn't capable of consenting is something I disagree with.
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What's Your Opinion? Sign Up Now!Rural societies in the developing world had such high infant mortality rates that they encouraged very early marriage, in order to have enough children that at least a couple of them would have a chance of surviving to adulthood. And they weren't sure the mother would live that long, so they wanted her to start havig kids asap.
And then there are the Mormons who can only get really young girls to agree to be part of a rich man's harem.
21 in Cameroon (thx peace.love.couture)
Whoa 21 in Cameroon? 12 is much too low imo
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