Sir, – Several of your letter writers recently claimed that the age of consent in many European countries, including Germany, lies at 14 years or even below.
In Germany, sexual activities among minors within the same age bracket (from 14) remain unpunished if they are consensual. However, parents can press charges if an older teenager appears to be taking advantage of a 14-year-old, even without full intercourse.
Anyone over 21 having sex with someone under 16 can be convicted of sexual abuse (depending on the minor’s level of maturity and self-determination, as perceived by the authorities).
Sexual relations with 14- to 16-year-olds are always punishable by law if the (even slightly) older person is involved in the upbringing, education or coaching of the minor. An older person is equally culpable if they appear to be taking advantage of a minor’s predicament (financial, emotional, social, and so on). In short, this is a complex area requiring complex laws and flexible minds, not the regurgitated results of a quick Wikipedia search. – Yours, etc,