Hear the Children’s Cry want voice in talks on decriminalising sex between minors

Priscilla Duhaney, attorney and spokesperson for Hear the Children’s Cry, is expressing hope that the child-rights advocacy group will be invited to Parliament to air its opposition to proposals that would decriminalise consensual sex between minors, particularly any close-in-age exemption being suggested, based on models from other countries.

Citing cases of consensual sex among minors dominating matters referred to the child diversion programme after going through the police and court system, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck last week told The Gleaner that a decriminalisation recommendation made to a previous joint select committee would be “put to Parliament to approve or disapprove”. He added that it would be taken forward “very soon”.

However, Duhaney, noting a recently publicised Jamaicans For Justice report and a prior submission to Parliament by Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon-Harrison, said Hear The Children’s Cry has “serious concerns” about any amendment to the Sexual Offences Act supporting decriminalisation, the route stated by Chuck as the conduit for “any changes, if approved”.

“It is a serious concern we should all have,” said Duhaney. “I am hoping that Hear The Children’s Cry will be invited to have a say. We have some strong points and we want to be on record as to why we are opposing decriminalisation of sex among minors, as well as close-in-age exemptions.”

Pinpointing the mental development of minors and the associated pressures of sexual relations, Duhaney predicted national “chaos and devastation” would follow any such decriminalisation.

“A 15-year-old does not have the mental capacity to make rational decisions,” Duhaney pointed out, adding that science has proven that maturing of the forward regions of the brain, particularly the frontal lobe, doesn’t occur until late adolescence.

“Imagine decriminalising sex involving 13-, 14- or 15-year-old children. We might not know the ramifications but we can foresee it. We do not believe it should happen. What we foresee is devastation, an increase in pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and more mental issues than already exist.

“More children will be exposed to sexual offences that are non-consensual. It is going to be extremely difficult to precisely determine consensual sex among minors. Also, children, at 14 and 15, are impressionable. Any close-in-age exemption, especially five years, as suggested by JFJ, would have 18- and 19-year-olds pressuring 14- and 15-year-olds into believing they are consenting,” Duhaney pointed out.

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