British actor and comedian Russell Brand’s latest interview with Megyn Kelly has sparked debate about the age of consent in Britain and Australia.
During his interview, Brand admitted to sleeping with a 16-year-old woman, a sexual encounter he described as exploitative.
He said, “In Europe and the United Kingdom, where I’m from, the age of consent is 16 and when I was 30, I slept with a 16-year-old. But when I was 30, I was a very different person. I was much younger and I was an immature 30-year-old.”
Russell Brand continued, “I recognized that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish. I didn’t give enough thought, hardly thought about…really, how that sex was affecting other people.”
A large number of people were considering how having sex with a 16-year-old girl is viewed despite it being legal in Britain, America and Australia.
Commenting on their interview, an Australian social media user wrote: “16 is the age of consent for us too. If my 30 year old partner told me she liked a 16 year old, I would beg her to get therapy and we would never speak again.”
Age of consent laws are based on a good faith assumption that we are talking about other people of the same age who have consensual sex.
For example, the age of consent being 16 means that these 16-year-olds are exploring their sexuality with other 16-17-year-olds, not with people twice their age.
If people need this explained to them, they should be placed on a very public list and placed a few hundred meters from any school. “
“The age of consent is 16 and up in some parts of the states. However, it’s still frowned upon. Especially when the person is twice that age,” said one American user.
Another said, “I’m from the UK and I think he’s a horrible stalker. I hate this story that tries to pretend like he’s not really a creep.”
Another said, “Even in the United States the age of consent is 16 in many places, so as a country we’re on the same page.”
