Say it to Sappho: What is the age of consent for lesbians?
August 27th, 2010 by Sappho
“Dear Sappho. How old do you have have to be to legally have sex with another woman if you are also female? My friend is 16 like me and has started sleeping with a woman who is 24. This just seems really wrong to me but she said the other woman is a youth worker and would lose her job if she went with someone who is underage. Is this actually right?” Anon, 16, North West
The age of consent for women sleeping with women is the same as it is for straight people and gay men, i.e. 16.
Before 2001 sex between two women was not recognised by law. The age of consent for gay men was lowered from 18 to 16 to make it equal to heterosexual sex. The new law included lesbian and bisexual women for the first time.
This means that there is nothing ‘illegal’ going on between your friend and the woman she is seeing.
You have mentioned that the other woman is a youth worker. Youth workers are bound by the policies and procedures of the organisations that they work within. If your friend is accessing services provided by the organisation that this youth worker is employed by, the youth worker could be breaking certain rules.
It is understandable that you are concerned as eight years is a big age gap, especially when you are 16. Be there for your friend and seek advice from another adult who you trust if you are concerned that there may be some rules being broken with this relationship.
Do you have a sex/relationship problem you need Sappho’s help with? Email Sappho@lesbilicious.co.uk, and remember to include a name, age and location.
Actually, if the over-18 year old “is in a position of trust in relation to” the 16 year old they are committing a criminal offence, not simply breaking rules.
In the case presented by Sappho - “your friend is accessing services provided by the organisation that this youth worker is employed by” - the youth worker would very probably be held to be “in a position of trust”.
The law: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/16
Tom Adams ∼ August 27th, 2010 2:03 pmI’d also add that the age of consent law has included lesbians and bisexuals for well over a century.
Caroline ∼ September 25th, 2010 11:36 pm