Open Vld, in a majority decision, is planning to submit a proposition for a bill that legalises sexual acts between minors from 14. It would also make it legal for 14 year olds to have sex with a partner no more than 5 years older, the De Morgen reported on Tuesday. “Young people must be allowed to experiment with their sexuality without feeling they are doing something that could be punishable by law”, says MP Sabine Lahaye-Batthau (Open Vld). She is one of the people behind the law proposition, along with Carina Van Cauter (also Open Vld).

“This law would legalise consensual sexual acts between young people of the same age, while protecting them from potential abuse by fixing a maximum age difference for their partner”, she adds.

The proposition also aims to clarify the law on sexual relations between adolescents. On the one hand, 14 to 16 year olds are considered capable of giving consent to sexual relations with penetration. But on the other hand, the current law still includes the notion of indecent behaviour for any sexual act involving a minor aged less than 16.

Maria Novak (Source: Belga)