Dear HTM,

Thanks for your kind feedback.

"Do you feel that a child (below the age of lets say eight) is able to give their consent? And, why is consent so important if there are so many examples of adults disregarding a child's consent, i.e. feeding a child who is resisting being fed?"

Yes, any child at any age can give their consent, thus there should not be an age of consent. Most adults seem to think that people have to understand (in advance) what's happening in order to enjoy things and that people have to make some kind of mental consideration on whether or not they like and want what's happening. In reality, sexuality is about feelings, about pleasure: it gives good, bad, or mixed feelings. Gert Hekma has some interesting things to say about forcing children to enjoy sexual pleasure in a 2004 interview   /cgi/deref.cgi?url=http://www.martijn.org/info/OK90_EN_1.html  .

Kind regards, Norbert