(b) It should also be made an offence punishable in the Children's Court for any girl to indecently assault a male.
(c) Consideration should also be given to the desirability of amending sections 208 and 216 of the Crimes Act and section 203 of the Justices of the Peace Act. There are three courses which might be followed:
First, to allow the law to remain as it is.
Secondly, to strike out the proviso which permits this defence of consent to be raised in cases where the accused is under 21 years and older than the girl.
Thirdly, to alter the wording of the provision regarding age of consent from—
" ... it is made to appear ... that the accused was under 21 and had reasonable cause to believe that the girl was of or over the age of 16."
to—
" ... if the accused (being a person under the age of 21 years) took all reasonable steps to ascertain that the girl was of or over the age of 16 years and did as a result thereof believe that she was of or over the age of 16 years."
Any legislation such as is suggested in this subheading would involve an amendment of the Crimes Act and not merely an amendment of the Child Welfare Act. The Committee therefore suggests to the Government that further information be obtained as to how the law regarding "age of consent" is operating in other jurisdictions and that the information so obtained be submitted to the Law Revision Committee for its consideration.