How Proposed Changes to Alabama’s Medical Age of Consent Could Harm Young Survivors of Sexual Violence
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Dear SafeHouse Community
At SafeHouse, we are deeply committed to ensuring that survivors of sexual and domestic violence have access to the care and support they need. Today, I want to bring attention to three bills currently moving through the Alabama State Legislature—HB2, SB58, and SB101. Any of these bills, if passed, would raise the medical age of consent from 14 to 18. While these bills may seem protective on the surface, they could have serious unintended consequences for young survivors of sexual violence.
Why Parental Consent Isn’t Always an Option
Currently teens ages 14 and up can seek medical care, including forensic exams and counseling, independently. This access is crucial when it comes to sexual assault services because 34% of child sexual abuse cases involve a family member. For some young survivors, involving a parent or guardian is not a safe option. Unfortunately, we have seen cases where families close ranks around the perpetrator, actively preventing the victim from seeking help. Other teens may come from homes where caregivers are absent, neglectful, or unsupportive. Raising the medical age of consent to 18 would create additional barriers for these vulnerable young people, effectively cutting them off from life-saving services.
Parents Informed Regardless
It is important to note that forensic exams for minors are already mandated to be reported to the Department of Human Resources (DHR) AND parents or guardians. This means that when a 14- or 15-year-old survivor seeks help on their own, their caregiver is notified—but that young person still has the critical ability to take the first step toward healing on their own. If the proposed bills pass without exemptions for survivors of violence, we risk leaving young people with no safe path to care.
Lessons from the Past: When We Remove Confidentiality
We also risk a reduction in effectiveness when it comes to counseling. If these bills pass, teens will have no guarantee that what they say during a counseling session will remain confidential. We have seen firsthand what happens when confidentiality is taken away. When Alabama raised the age of majority from 18 to 19, many 18-year-olds stopped seeking services because they knew their cases would automatically be reported. When the law was amended to allow confidentiality for 18-year-old survivors of sexual violence, service numbers rebounded. The same could happen here.
A Simple Solution
At the very least, we urge lawmakers to add a protected class for victims of violence to these bills. This simple change would allow young survivors to continue accessing confidential care while still ensuring that appropriate reporting measures remain in place.
How You Can Help
We encourage our community members to reach out to their legislators and express their concerns. Protecting young survivors should be a priority, and we must ensure that well-intended legislation does not create unintended harm.
Thank you for your time and advocacy on behalf of Alabama’s youth. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Janelle Sierra
Executive Director
SafeHouse of Shelby County
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