The current age of consent in Jamaica is 16. What that means is that legally as long as an individual is below the age of 16 he or she is not able to give consent for sexual activity. There is a conversation being had about whether or not the age should be increased to 18, in an effort to reduce the number of sexually active teens.

The thought process is that if the age is higher, it will deter young people from starting sexual activity below the age. I personally think this reasoning is flawed because most teens don't decide whether or not to have sex based on the law. But I like to keep an open mind so let's explore the pros and cons of increasing the age of consent:

Pros

- Sex is an adult activity so it makes sense that adults be the ones legally allowed to get their freak on. In this country, an adult is someone 18 years or older and this is a requirement to do most adult activities such as drink, smoke and vote.

- It would be easier to distinguish responsibility because it would be clear that the individual is an adult, and therefore can be held completely accountable.

- Consequences such as pregnancy can be dealt with from a completely adult perspective. Most persons are out of high school by the time they reach 18, and therefore the pregnancy would not disrupt their education.

Cons

- The current average age for first time sex is 15 for girls and 14 for boys, this is below the current age of consent so clearly the law is not a factor that teens consider when deciding to get sexual.

- Sometimes both parties are below the age of consent and are exploring their sexuality. This should not be treated as a criminal act.

- Raising the age of consent will not address the real problem that the law was enacted to address in the first place: to protect minors from being sexually abused by adults.

Ultimately, the best way to protect young people sexually is to educate them. Our approach thus far has been to try to hide information and tell them to abstain. But we forget that hormones are running through their bodies and they are curious. So help them understand the acts and consequences of getting sexual. It is not enough to say "Abstinence makes sense". I think instead of making young people feel bad about their growing sexuality, we should be more effective in prosecuting the adults who prey on teens. It is almost accepted that some men love schoolgirls, that is something that must be addressed before we talk about raising the age. So, as far as I am concerned, the law is not the issue, it's the enforcement.

Question

Dear Dr Sexy

I know it is the style nowadays for women to wear false hair, but I cannot stand it. I recently started dating this great woman with beautiful hair and over the weekend she cut it off and put in this crazy weave. Now she looks like Beyoncé on crack. I don't want to hurt her feelings but I cannot work with this hair. It looks awful and feels hideous. Do you think I am wrong for having a problem with it? Should I tell her I don't like it? I don't want to hurt her feelings.

Brian, Montego Bay

Dear Brian,

I understand how you feel and it is a sticky situation. You are right about the style because weaves are very popular. Just be straight up with her. Don't be insulting, just tell her you don't like the hair. She may of may not change it, but she will know how you feel. If the weave is a deal breaker for you, she needs to know. Good luck and stay sexy.

Dr Sexy