Closed petition Petition for Justice Reform of Child Sex Offences

Closed on 21 May 2013

We, the undersigned, on this 19th day of May 2012, petition Her Most Excellent Majesty's Ministry of Justice to undertake and enact as follows:

- To prevent 'ostensible consent' being a defence to the rape or sexual exploitation of any child under the age of consent, and particularly children of ages 13 or under.

- To prevent offenders from presenting defences afforded beyond the capacity of any reasonable child, with respect to their development as children, particularly in view of the way they choose to dress (freedom of expression) or when under the influence of alcohol or when particularly vulnerable.

- To provide for a tighter statutory minimum mandatory sentance for all cases of child rape or sexual exploitation, of not less than 15 years on each count.

- To become compliant as a State Party with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, in preventing the torture of children in the United Kingdom and taking any steps necessary to acheive this.