Latest news with #youthprotection
The Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- The Herald
KZN health MEC Simelane calls for urgent action against older men impregnating girls
'This is not only a health crisis, it's a social justice emergency. Unless we talk about it and act decisively, we will continue to see young lives destroyed. We are raising a broken generation if we remain silent,' said Simelane. The MEC called for unity and decisive action, proposing that district mayors, amakhosi (traditional leaders) and izinduna (headmen) collaborate with government and civil society to confront the crisis. 'We need to come together and deal with this matter head-on because the activities are happening where we are. Children get pregnant in our societies, in our communities.' Simelane also highlighted the troubling pattern where victims, once pregnant, avoid healthcare services due to fear of exposing perpetrators, who are often adult men who are family breadwinners or protected by informal family agreements. 'What is more concerning is that some young victims stop accessing healthcare and social services once they realise we are legally required to report the perpetrators. This puts young girls at high risk, specially when they are forced to give birth in unsafe conditions.' Under law, any sexual activity with a person under the age of 16 is considered statutory rape. Clinics and hospitals are required to report such cases to law enforcement authorities.
CBC
4 days ago
- General
- CBC
Sentencing arguments begin for former Montreal youth baseball coach convicted of sexual assault
Robert Litvack was found guilty last fall of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy. He coached in the Lac-Saint-Louis baseball league from 2008 to 2024.
Russia Today
16-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
EU nations seek mandatory social media age checks
France, Spain, and Greece are advocating for mandatory age verification on social media platforms such as Meta's Facebook and Elon Musk's X, Bloomberg reported on Friday. The proposed rules would require all internet-connected devices to be equipped with age verification technology. Digital services ministers from the three EU member states are coordinating the initiative ahead of a meeting with their counterparts from the bloc on June 6, a document cited by Bloomberg said. The three nations reportedly argue that the 'lack of proper and widespread age-verification mechanisms' makes it difficult to effectively enforce age limits. They aim to leverage the economic power of the EU's 450 million consumers to compel tech companies to implement robust verification systems, according to the report. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Tuesday his support for mandatory age verification for teenagers registering on social media platforms, stating that online networks have contributed to suffering and mental health issues among young people. 'We must protect our children,' he told TF1, adding that age verification on social networks should be imposed. According to Bloomberg, the European Commission, along with several bloc members, is already developing pilot projects to boost parental controls and age verification. However, their efforts are being hindered by regulatory differences across EU countries and the ease with which users can access social networks from outside the bloc. 'One real ID for every social network user — that's the only way to actually guarantee minors don't access inappropriate content,' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said earlier this year. Among the countries that have taken measures on the issue, Australia has banned social media access for users under the age of 16. In Spain, a comparable measure has been incorporated into a legislative bill, although it is awaiting parliamentary review and does not yet have a set timeline. In Norway, the government has announced its intention to establish a minimum age of 15 for accessing social media. However, there is currently no defined timeline or concrete implementation plan in place. Earlier this year, 200 schools in France started testing a 'digital break' that prevents students up to the age of 15 from using smartphones during school hours. In Russia, similar restrictions went into effect in September, banning students from using their cellphones in schools, except for emergency situations involving a risk to health or to life.
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
California Assembly advances bill to toughen penalties for soliciting sex from older teens
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Assembly on Thursday approved harsher penalties for soliciting sex from 16- and 17-year-olds, with an exception for cases where there is an age difference of three years or less between both parties. It's an updated version of legislation that recently threw Democrats into political turmoil, causing Gov. Gavin Newsom to break with legislative leaders and Republicans to accuse Democrats of protecting people who prey on teens. Young people ages 16 or 17 were not included in bipartisan legislation on sex trafficking signed by Newsom last year. The law, which took effect this year, allows prosecutors to charge those who solicit and buy sex from minors 15 or younger with a felony. It left in place an existing law that limits the penalty for soliciting older teens to a misdemeanor. Some moderate Democrats, siding with Republicans, wanted to see harsher punishments to protect more children, while others say the original measure could be misused by parents upset about interracial or LGBTQ+ relationships to target older teens involved in consensual relationships. Democrats earlier this month r ejected a provision that would have allowed prosecutors to charge people accused of soliciting of older teens with a felony. Assemblymember Nick Schultz, the chair of the public safety committee, said at the time he wanted to gather more feedback. Following fierce and swift backlash, the legislation was amended to toughen the penalties for soliciting older teens, but only when the solicitors are more than three years older. 'I don't view this as a win for a particular party. I view this as a win for all Californians,' Schultz said after the vote. The bill also would create a new victim support fund, make it a crime for those who loiter to buy sex and increase penalties for hotels and businesses that are complicit in sex trafficking. Sacramento District Attorney Thien Ho, who helped craft the legislation, said the bill creates a new tool for law enforcement to go after predators. California already has laws in place that make it a felony to contact a person under 18 to engage in sexual activity in California, sexting a minor and engaging in sex with a minor if the age gap between the parties is more than three years. 'There is a difference between a 55-year-old man who was soliciting sex from a 16-year-old versus an 18-year-old soliciting,' Ho said. 'That's what was done here in a very nuanced and measured way.' Republicans said the Thursday vote is a victory for children in California. 'It has always been for me about good policy and about justice,' Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said before the vote. 'I'm glad that today we come together and we can push through this bill, which was a righteous bill from the beginning to protect 16- and 17-year-olds.' The bill now heads to the Senate. Democrats in the Senate last year rejected a similar effort to increase penalties for soliciting older teens.
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Government delays Bill to ban sale of energy drinks to under 18s
The Government's plan to delay by 18 months progress on legislation to ban the sale of energy drinks to under 18s has been criticised by the Senator who championed the Bill. Independent Senator Sharon Keogan, who introduced the Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill, said stalling it could undermine efforts to protect young people from the 'health risks posed by high-caffeine, high-sugar energy drinks'. As well as banning the sale of energy drinks to children the legislation also provides for mandatory health warnings similar to those on tobacco and alcohol products. It targets drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, or which contain the stimulant taurine. The drinks would be banned in schools, youth clubs and any venue attended by under 18s, and restrictions would be placed on advertising. READ MORE 'While marketed in flashy cans and trendy branding, the contents of these drinks have serious physiological implications,' said the Co Meath Senator. Ms Keoghan pointed to research which linked energy drink consumption 'to anxiety, sleep disturbance, obesity, and heart issues among adolescents'. She added that some brands contained up to 17 teaspoons of sugar in a single bottle, and the standard 250ml energy drink contained the caffeine content of five cans of cola. Similar bans in countries like Lithuania, Latvia, and Hungary have already resulted in a drop in consumption rates among minors, she added. Independent Senator Rónán Mullen said in some cases caffeine levels are between 160mg and 200mg per can. 'That is double the amount found in an average cup of coffee which would be approximately 80mg depending on the strength.' He pointed to observations by the HSE's lead on obesity, Dr Donal O'Shea, 'that they are bad for your ability to concentrate, attention span and if you have any tendency towards anxiety they drive that'. 'He says they should simply not be freely available to purchase as they are at the moment.' Mr Mullen said many parents know very little about these drinks and the extent of consumption by their children. Minister of State for Health Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said it would take 18 months to months to carry out the 'necessary evidence-gathering, research and examination of appropriate policy options and stakeholder engagement'. She acknowledged the commitment in the programme for government to 'explore restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including a ban on their sale to children'. Ms Murnane O'Connor said the Department of Health is 'at the very early stages of considering the process' but 'we are committed to safeguarding health and wellbeing and seeking what is best policy and practice to achieve that'. A 'thorough assessment' is 'essential' to 'evaluate any public health concerns with regard to energy drink consumption by children and young adults in Ireland and to determine appropriate policy measures'. The Minister said policy measures 'must be grounded in the best available scientific evidence'. Any regulations to restrict or ban sales to children 'will need to be robust, appropriate and based on the weighing up of the scientific evidence'.
