The Government has announced that the sexual offences bill will be amended to make it clear that agony aunts, teachers and others, including youth workers, giving emotional health advice on sexual relations to teenagers will not be erroneously prosecuted (See last week's YPN comment, page 18, "Bad law" by Hilary Spiers, director of communications at The NYA).
The bill exempts from the offences of aiding, abetting or counselling the commission of a sex offence against a child those who act to safeguard children to protect them from pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections or to protect their physical safety.
In a tabled amendment the Government will state clearly that those providing emotional advice will also be covered by the exemption.
