Canadian children are at constant risk of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Our laws are not strong enough and are failing to protect our children.

In Canada, the age of consent is 14. Most people are shocked to realize it is perfectly legal for a 55-year-old man to engage in a sexual relationship with a young person 14 years of age.

Because Canada’s age of consent is only 14, Canada has become a preferred destination for predators of innocent children.

In March 2005, a 31-year-old Texan man allegedly lured a 14-year-old Ottawa boy to a hotel room for sex. Had the incident occurred in Texas, where the age of consent is 17, the man would have been charged with sexually abusing a minor. But in Canada, the age of consent is 14 and, he did nothing illegal.

Last spring, the Salvation Army was asked to present a paper to the Justice Committee at the House of Commons to comment on BILL C-2, designed to tighten the definitions related to child pornography so that “artistic merit” could no longer be used as a loophole.

The Salvation Army and others, such as Beyond Borders and Detective Sgt. Paul Gillespie of the Toronto Police Service, stated BILL C-2 did not go far enough to protect children and needed to address age of consent.

The federal government is prepared to debate the current age of consent law. The Salvation Army fully supports the federal government’s plan to introduce legislation that would raise the age of consent to 16 from 14.

Surprisingly, some question the need for this discussion. Recently, Allie Lehmann, the manager of sexual health promotion for Toronto public health, suggested anyone who supports this bill is “anti-sex.”

The comment reflects a lack of recognition of the life-altering damage from teenage sexual abuse.

This bill exits to protect vulnerable youth from sexual predators and is not intended to criminalize teenage sexual behaviour.

Raising the age of consent will help prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of children, protect children 13-15, who are most vulnerable to being manipulated or lured into sexual relationships and help prevent Canada from being a destination for sex tourism and sexual trafficking.

How could these possible outcomes be viewed as being “anti-sex?” How do Canadian children benefit from the age of consent being 14?

Canada’s age of consent is one of the lowest in Western industrialized countries.

The Salvation Army applauds the federal government for being willing to introduce this legislation.

We call on MP’s to protect our children and those who work in the field of child abuse have no doubt the benefits of raising the age of consent far outweigh the issues raised by those who oppose the bill.

by Nancy Turley
Territorial Abuse Advisior
The Salvation Army Canada