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Government facing calls to stagger age of consent after Russell Brand scandal
The Independent • • general
Key Points:
- UK ministers are considering changing the age of consent laws to introduce a "staggered" system, preventing adults above a certain age from having sexual relations with 16- and 17-year-olds, following sexual exploitation scandals involving Russell Brand and David Walliams.
- Louise Haigh, the chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, supports banning non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) used to silence sexual abuse victims, particularly in cases involving powerful individuals.
- The proposals were influenced by Mia Latter, who had a relationship with Russell Brand when she was 16 and he was 30; Brand was recently sentenced to over 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assaults.
- Allegations against David Walliams, accused of pursuing sexual relations with girls as young as 15, have also intensified calls for reform; Walliams denies wrongdoing but admitted to "thoughtless" behavior.
- Haigh emphasized the need to listen to victims' experiences and highlighted that sexual exploitation is not confined to high-profile cases but occurs across various sectors.
