Not 18
In India, the law says that anyone under 18 is a child. And if anyone has sex with someone under 18, even if both people agree, it's still a crime. This is part of a law called POCSO, which is meant to protect kids from sexual abuse.
But here's the tricky part: teenagers often have crushes and sometimes even relationships. They might agree to be close to each other. So, is that always abuse? The law doesn't leave any room to understand if both were okay with it or if one was forced.
That's why earlier this year, the Supreme Court said maybe we should think about changing the law a bit – at least when it's two teenagers close in age. But the government disagreed, saying that making exceptions would weaken the law and make it harder to protect kids.
Still, some strange cases are popping up. Like a 40-year-old teacher in Mumbai who had a relationship with her 16-year-old student. The court gave her bail, saying it looked like the student had agreed. But how can we be sure it was real consent when the adult is so much older and in a position of power?
Another case involved a 23-year-old tutor who was in a relationship with her 13-year-old student and even became pregnant. She also got bail. These cases show how confusing the idea of consent can be, especially when there's a big age gap.
In other countries, the age of consent is usually 16. That means people below 16 can't legally agree to sex, no matter what they say. For example, in the UK, a teacher who had a baby with her 15-year-old student was clearly seen as an abuser. In the US, a famous case from the 1990s involved a woman teacher who had children with her 13-year-old student – even though they later married, she still went to jail because it was wrong when it started.
So, should India lower the age of consent to make things clearer? Maybe to 16 like in many other countries? That's the big question. Right now, the line is drawn at 18, and it doesn't matter what the teen thinks or feels. But maybe it should – at least in cases where both people are young and close in age.
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