For immediate release 17th September 2003
Sexual Offences Bill will create Culture of Fear and Confusion
Brook is disappointed that the Standing Committee, currently discussing the Sexual Offences Bill in the House of Commons has missed another opportunity to amend the Bill. Brook believes that the Bill in its current form will create anxiety and confusion for young people around their sexual development.
Brook has worked with the Children’s Legal Centre and other children’s charities to find a solution, developing a package of amendments that would ensure an effective balance between protecting young people from abuse, protecting their individual rights and allowing their normal sexual development. The amendments were not accepted at Committee stage and, as it stands, the Bill will classify sexual touching of any kind among under 16s as an offence, including kissing and touching with full consent.
The resulting confusion and anxiety among young people over what is legal sexual behaviour, will create barriers to young people accessing professional advice and information on sexual health. In addition, the new law could pave the way for private prosecutions by disgruntled parents.
Director of the Children’s Legal Centre, Carolyn Hamilton said:
“Amendments that attempted to address these concerns were rejected in favour of a simplified Bill that criminalises all sexual activity involving young people and proposes that the Crown Prosecution Service be left to decide what is and is not harmful consensual sexual behaviour between under 16s. The result is a Bill that, in terms of sexual activity between young people, is as archaic and out of touch as the 1956 Sexual Offences Act.”
Brook’s Head of Policy, Deborah Jack, said:
“If the Sexual Offences Bill goes forward in its current format it is likely to create a culture of fear and confusion for young people, which will put them off seeking advice from professionals. It is not going to stop young people exploring sex, but will just push it underground, putting them at greater risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections”.
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For further information contact Emma Charvet on 0207 284 6047/ emmac@brookcentres.org.uk
Notes to editors
1. Brook is the country’s leading provider of free, confidential sexual health advice and contraception to young people under 25 years. The charity has nearly 40 years experience of providing impartial and confidential sexual health advice and services to young people through a national network of 17 centres across the UK. Each year Brook provides more than 100,000 young people with professional advice from specially trained doctors, nurses, counsellors and outreach and information workers.
2. Young people can call Brook free and in confidence on 0800 0185 023 or by online enquiry via Ask Brook at www.brook.org.uk
3. The Children’s Legal Centre is a unique, independent charity concerned with law and policy affecting children and young people. The Centre provides specialist legal advice to parents and carers on all aspects of education law and child law. It also provides innovative advocacy and legal services to children and young people who are either 'looked after' or who are in need throughout Essex. In addition, the Centre carries out research on issues affecting children's rights and publishes a monthly journal childRIGHT as well as a range of user-friendly legal guides.”
