Dear Editor,

Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is getting backlash from our old-fashioned chatters and intolerant moralists for its position to not make sex between minors a criminal offence.

Everything to do with sexual encounters, outside of what is the norm, brings intense heat and half-baked thoughts.

What is needed, and what is not in place, on a large scale, are parents, fathers, and mothers to culture their children about the sanctity of sexual intercourse and the importance of delaying sex for their education and development.

Where parents fail, we believe the State should play our parental roles by keeping on the books a cruel law which makes criminals out of children by them getting into something that proper parental involvement can prevent.

When adults force sex, or any form of abuse, that must be a criminal offence, but children, who will always want to explore, they must be treated differently if their exploration leads to sexual encounters. There should be punishment and counselling, but it should not be a crime.

Making it a criminal offence for children to engage in sexual activities has not and will never prevent children from having sex. Fix the homes and family life and children will be more motivated for education and wholesome development and less inclined to get into things they are not ready for or activities that can lead to their destruction.

Garfield L Angus

Spur Tree PO

Manchester

garfieldangus@gmail.com