THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WISH to offer a response to Mr 'Milo' Bonds' letter "Raise the age of consent to 18". Legislation has not, does not, and never will dictate society's attitudes to consensual intercourse with or between young people.
It is imperative that as a nation we recognise and support honest, intimate education into this issue; firstly to reach those young people most at risk, and secondly retain their interest long enough to put a message across.
The state cannot do this, but it has a responsibility to sponsor it, through our schools and community work. As parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, neighbours, collectively as adults, we must relate to our young people in our homes on their level this is a message that must strike dead centre.
STD's are no joke, AIDS is decimating South Africa. Let us not thrash ourselves, belittle and blame our young women, and look to the state to save us. Raising the age of consent merely increases the number of cases of statutory rape which will go unreported, and resolve little in rectifying the issues at the core of this matter.
Physical development does not equal adult capabilities. Teenagers are not looking back to childhood but forwards to the rewards of adulthood, it is our responsibility as adults to educate and equip them, to guide them through these increasingly difficult times.
I am etc.,
F.C. MORRIS Jr.
fluffymor@aol.com
London, England
Via Go-Jamaica
