Changing up the Policy: Goals and Objectives

In order to better understand the recommendations we will introduce to the existing policy, we need to explore the goals and objectives that we feel are important to developing a stronger policy.

We have identified three goals for the adjustment of the existing policy. The first being inclusivity. We define inclusivity as including all individuals in the policy whom have historically been oppressed. An example being, including sexual activity pertaining to age and anal sex. We hope that by developing a more inclusive policy, we will eliminate the oppression within the existing framework and encourage all members of society to become educated, aware, and more responsible for the protection of all youth under the Age of Consent policy.

Our second goal includes the change of the policy’s formatting and (scary!) language. The original language is difficult to read and understand for the general public. We feel that the policy would be better received if it were easily understood for all individuals, allowing the message to be clear and accessible for those affected.

Our final goal for the policy is to ensure that it is accessible to teens, as they are the primary group that is affected by the change in policy. We hope that by ensuring this policy is accessible to teens, by means of education, awareness campaigns, and the like, we are promoting the protection and safety of youth, and enforcing the repercussions for the policy's violation.

These three changes to the policy will aid in awareness of the policy and how as a community, we are committed to ensuring that we are looking out for the welfare of all citizens.

Our overarching ambition is to effectively protect vulnerable youth from sexual exploitation and predators, while at the same time promoting the rights of all individual's to make their own decisions about and give consent to desired sexual activity. Thus, while still acknowledging the need to protect children from harmful sexual activity and exploitation, we feel that it is also extremely important to maintain positive views and attitudes towards healthy sex between consenting partners, and to caution ourselves in viewing sexual activity or exploration as primarily something to be fearful of.

- A, LT, LL, P