Age of Consent: Medieval Meaning, Victorian Scandals & Modern Relevance

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

History Hit

Society, Sex, Scandal, Education, History

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 6 October 2023

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

While the age of consent has fluctuated over time, it reveals some fascinating and enlightening things about how we view sexuality in society.

Today's guest, Laura Lammasniemi, professor at Warwick School of Law, takes us back in time to explore the many ways these laws have changed, and why they have just as much relevance now as they ever have done.

How did Medieval England interpret ideas of consent? Which Victorian scandal led to consent laws we keep in place today? And why have girls consent laws historically differed from boys?

Let's go Betwixt the Sheets to find out.

This episode was edited by Siobhan Dale and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Everyone leaves a legacy.
0:02.2	But a legacy can change over time as new generations
0:05.6	re-examine old preputations.
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	...

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