#12: The Abolishment of the Age of Consent?
Today, I want to present an excellent example of misinformation and fear mongering. In March, the UN released a report entitled “The 8 March Principles for a Human Rights-Based Approach to Criminal Law Proscribing Conduct Associated with Sex, Reproduction, Drug Use, HIV, Homelessness and Poverty.”.
The report aimed to lay out how legal experts can apply international human rights law to criminal law in varying countries. A Fox News article was released last week that read "New UN-backed legal recommendations normalize sex with minors."
Fox's release of the article did not follow the release date of the report, nor did it consist of factual information presented inside of the report. The article was released after a right-wing commentator stirred up a big conversation by stating that the UN was advocating for the decriminalization of sex with minor peoples.
This is not true in the slightest. Nowhere in the United Nations report does it advocate for the decriminalization of sex with minors, nor does it advocate for the abolishment of the age of consent like some sources were stating. The report does state that if not written in the nations law or state law, an age of consent may not be enforceable by international human rights law standards. This applies to many crimes and situations and is by no means an advocation for decriminalizing sex with a minor or removing the age of consent in states that already have one. It is simply stating that if there is not an age of consent already in place in a specific country, the UN cannot enforce a minimum age of consent or charge those who do have sex with minors. International law is a tricky thing that requires a lot of explanation and understanding for those trying to absorb it. Posting misinformed headlines and content on popular sites like Fox, only aids in misinforming our population.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to recognize the difference between accurate reporting and fear-mongering, as well as the harm that can come from misinformation. In this case, it seems that Fox News deliberately misrepresented the contents of the UN report in order to push a particular agenda and create controversy. This kind of reporting can lead to harmful stereotypes and misunderstandings, and it's important to seek out accurate information from reputable sources. It's also important to critically evaluate sources and be wary of sensational headlines that may be misleading.
Great Post. I was glad that it wasn't hard for most people to recognize the misinformation spread from the coverage of this. I see that some outlets and the way they represent this story has caused some controversy. Only shows how skeptical current news has gotten.
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