Sexual Health Issues- Laws related to sexual behaviours in South Australia

The situation of sexual behaviour and its laws are a simple yet significant part of
South Australias society today. I chose to research these laws in hope of finding
a better understanding between the rights and wrongs that stands today,
whether in Adelaide or on a larger scale, Australia. In this discussion, I aim to
display and find out what South Australians identify as a limit and no-go zone
regarding the sexuality in all ages. I will achieve this through means of the
internet (primarily) which involves reading and collecting necessary information
from government sites, federal and state such as Yarrow-place SA and the
Department of children and child development.
Examples of prohibition of laws are:
-

Sexual assault: the term covers a range of unwanted sexual behaviours

such as comments, touching, fondling, oral, anal and vaginal sex.
Sexual harassment: includes intentional and unwelcome acts of physical
intimacy and, requests or demands for sexual favours.
Rape: knowing that the other person does not consent to sexual
intercourse with him/her or when continuing with sexual intercourse when
consent is already withdrawn and, being reckless to the other person
whether the person consents or not

Consent to sexual activity must be free and voluntary between the two involved.
It would not be free and voluntary under the following circumstances:
-

Demonstrating a force or fear

Asleep, unconscious or intoxicated
Having a physical or mental disease
Mistaken identity

A person will act recklessly if:

-

They are aware of the possibility of lack of consent but proceed regardless
They are aware of the possibility of lack of consent but fail to take
reasonable steps to ascertain consent before proceeding

Statistics show that:

Age of Consent:
Laws which have an age of consent are made to protect children and young
adults from the possibility of any sexual harm and abuse. These laws states
that there is a particular age in which people below the consent have any
emotional maturity to be permitted or allowed to participate in any sexual
interactions. In the case of adult sexual assault, it is based on the permission
of both parties, while child sex assault is based on the age of consent laws.
While a child may agree to any sexual behaviour, it is still considered illegal
as they do not have enough knowledge and capacity to realise the situation.
The age of consent for consensual sex varies across Australia. In the ACT,
New South Wales, Northern Territory, Victoria and Western Australia, the age
of consent in 16 years and over. In Tasmania and South Australia, however,
the age limit is 17 and over. Queensland is the only state which holds a
difference between each form of sexual activity. The age of consent for anal
sex is 17 years, but for all other behaviour it is commonly 16 years of age.
Peer Pressure:
Many teens, especially boys, feel the urge to have sex despite not having the
correct and most accurate information. According to research found in 2003,
some 63% of teens believe that waiting to have sex is a more appropriate
idea yet only some are honest. One in free boys, aged between 15 and 17,
admit they are being pressured into having sex, usually from fellow male
peers. Nevertheless, teen girls show a more suitable figure; only 23% are
feeling the pressure. A separate study found that one in five teens have
reported to having sex before they were 15. One in seven of 14 year olds also
said they have been pregnant. This goes to show that there should be a
better need for sex education.
In conclusion, the laws concerning what was and wasnt allowed in regards to
sexual encounters in general was found. The limit and restriction of sexual
behaviour towards one another was given and the statistics in relation to the
number rape recorded in 2004 was also displayed. The age of consent
allowed in Australia and specifically in each state showed that for many
teenage boys, the pressure from fellow male peers was strongly influencing
the figures. In all, I found that the age of consent. In all, I found everything I
learnt interesting, especially the age of consent to which is allowed for all
states of Australia. Today, I believe there is a great need for better education
for teenagers across Australia in high schools in terms of sexual harassment
and what is restricted or not.

http://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/pubs/factsheets/a142090/
http://www.yarrowplace.sa.gov.au/booklet_law.html

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200305/peer-pressure-and-teen-sex