A little-known gap between the age of consent and the age at which a person can legally be engaged in prostitution has seen an Auckland man face two charges of entering a monetary arrangement with a youth aged sixteen to allow the man to perform sexual acts on him. Since the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill in 1986 consenting sexual connection between same-sex couples over the age of sixteen has been legal. However, following the passing of the Prostitution Law Reform Act, which was passed in 2003, eighteen became the age at which prostitution is legal. The case is further complicated by two charges against the middle aged man, who is a primary school teacher, of indecent assault on a boy under the age of sixteen and two further charges that he arranged for a boy under the age of sixteen to travel with him with the intention of committing an indecent act on the boy. The man, who has name suppression, is accused of 'grooming' the boys from as young as the age of twelve. The accused will re-appear in the North Shore District Court later this month. Editor's note: As a matter of basic policy GayNZ.com provides news, information and facilities for and about glbt people over the legal age of consent, ie. sixteen years. Therefore this complex story presented us with some difficulties on whether to report it and, if so, to what extent. We have decided to focus on the difference between the age of consent and age of legalised prostitution aspect of the case, and on any charges which relate to actions when both parties were consenting adults in the eyes of the law. To provide context we will, where appropriate, acknowledge the other charges but these will not form the core of our coverage.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 1st February 2010 - 4:14pm