[Dragonfly]

NSW to ban 'intimate' piercings for under-16s

Child safety concerns: NSW is cracking down on piercings for under-16s (AAP : Julian Smith)
The New South Wales Government says it will soon be illegal for anyone under 16 to get intimate body piercings.
Under new laws to be introduced into State Parliament, it will be illegal for anyone under 16 to have their genitals or nipples pierced, and they will need their parent's permission for all other body piercings.
Piercing operators will face fines of up to $22,000 for performing intimate piercings on a child and fines of up to $3,300 for piercing without parental consent.
Community Services Minister Kevin Greene says he cannot see any benefits in allowing young people to have the piercings.
"I cannot see why anyone would want their child under the age of 16 to expose their intimate body parts to strange adults for the sake of a fashion or a trend," he said.
"There's also a potential health risk. There's the possibility of issues such as Hepatitis B or C, toxic shock and blood poisoning, and certainly there are those child protection concerns."

Source - NSW to ban 'intimate' piercings for under-16s - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)


***I can't believe they needed to implement a law.
Just how many tweens are running around with nipple or genitals piercings anyways?

[Adrienne]

Yea seriously. God that would be embarrasing; having your dad sign to get you nether region pierced. Ugh sounds painful!!

[vintagezombie]

More then you'd think. I know a girl who got her nipple pierced, and something strange happen to it, like it was ripped out or had an infection or something. *shudder*

[Anna]

why wasn't this a law before? i know you had to be 18 to get your ears pierced...

[Darla_G]

is this the case in the US and Canada too?

[Bec688]

It IS already illegal to pierce children under 16 without parental consent, though I think a few places turn a blind eye, especially when it comes to ear piercing, I have had young teen girls BEG me to just pierce their ears and go off "but my mum said it was ok". I never have, and will not, I can get in serious trouble, and the last thing I need is to have a mother drag her daughter back to the salon and ask me to remove the piercings. And this does happen, people have pierced kids, and then parents have come back complaining and asking for the piercings to be removed.

[Dragonfly]

In Canada, I believe that a parent or guardian must sign a consent for children 15 and under, for pierced ears. I would imagine it is the same for other piercings.
What blows me away is there are parents that think it is ok for their teenage kids to have tongues and navels pierced.
I think the tail is wagging the dog!

I'd kick my son's you know what if he showed up here with a piercing.

In this day and age, tattoo parlours would be stupid not to ensure a clien't age before doing a piercing or tattoo. They would be liable in court and could lose their license. Not worth it for the cost of a piercing/tattoo.

[Bec688]

I think belly button piercings are pretty much the norm these days, it's not unusual to see young teenage girls with their navels pierced.
I remember when I was in year 7 at school LOTS of my friends were getting their bellies pierced, I was SO jealous, and no matter how much I begged, my parents wouldn't let me get mine done, they said I had to wait til I was ATLEAST 16, took me til I was 18 to get it done though lol

[SimplyElegant]

Canada definitely already had a law for this before. I thought it was the same in the US too.