Northern Territory criminalises sex between consenting teens
From the ABC:
Under-age sex laws ‘putting NT kids at risk’
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is warning that legislative changes in the Northern Territory could have a devastating impact on the health of many Indigenous children.
…and (emphasis added):
[Health Department staff] were told to report anyone under 16 who is sexually active, even if that person’s sexual partner is also under 16 or of the same age, and regardless of consent.
“Any person who has sexual intercourse with someone under the age of 16 is guilty of a crime and liable to imprisonment for 16 years,” Dr Bauert said.
“There’s no age defence, so if the person who was having sex with somebody under the age of 16 is 15, that is no defence.
“We are going to have young people not prepared to come seeking help in terms of contraception advice; they won’t be coming seeking advice in early pregnancy, if themselves or their partner are likely to be charged with a crime.”
Dr Bauert says patients will also think twice before seeking treatment for sexually transmitted infections.