Progressive Mass recently signed on to testimony from the Massachusetts Coalition for Juvenile Justice Reform in support of H.1617/S.1110: An Act supporting consenting young adults.
Read an excerpt below and read the full coalition testimony here.
This legislation is an effort to come into line with a majority of states, to recognize that young people have consensual sexual contact with one another and criminalizing that contact is not the best way to respond to it. It is an issue for families, faith communities, and public health officials, rather than law enforcement….
If the goal is to delay teen sexual activity and ensure young people are in healthy relationships – both physically and emotionally – the law actually has built a barrier between teens and trusted adults who can talk to them and advise them on making healthy decisions and identifying and staying away from unhealthy relationships.
