Though the bumper crop of freshmen brought in by the double cohort are sure to bring a lot of energy to U of T this year, they bring with them some very important questions about what to do when the real partying begins.
For the most part, age of consent issues will not change on campus, says law professor Martha Shaffer. “The law is complicated and it’s simple…the age of consent is 14.”
The only exceptions to the law regard those in positions of power having sex with minors, meaning that a 21-year old student could have sex with a 15-year old student, but a 21-year old guardian of that minor could not. The other exception is in regards to anal intercourse, which is strictly illegal for anyone under the age of 18, unless they are married. The catch to this is that to get married before the age of 18 in Ontario, the parties must have their parents’ permission. According to Shaffer, the real issues revolve around the consent itself.
“The person who initiates sexual contact must have consent for every act before you initiate,” she notes, adding that “silence is not consent,” although verbal consent is not necessary, as long as the body language (ie jumping on top of the person) is explicit.
Despite the legalities of the issue, some groups around campus are still treading lightly.
The parties held at the Sigma Chi frat house this year will once again be licensed, meaning no one under 19 can enter, killing any age of consent issues at the door. “Our rules are constant,” says frat president Asif Hossain, adding that tickets for Sigma Chi parties are pre-sold, and I.D. is checked again at the door. “That’s a pretty good precaution in itself because we usually know who we’re selling to.”
Along with party precautions, Hossain notes that the fraternity provides seminars on dating and how to steer clear of sketchy situations. “Most of the guys are very well-versed in terms of how to act on campus anyway,” he adds.
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you have to, says Bejamin Milam of the Sexual Education and Peer Counselling Centre on campus. He cautions all parentally liberated youngsters on campus not to jump into something too soon. “Remember there is a large distinction between love and sex,” says Milam, adding that “if something is suspicious, don’t do it.”
