'We've seen young people piercing their own body'

A Guernsey deputy has said the legal age limit for body piercing should be lowered as she had seen a rising number of young people piercing their own bodies.

The current law makes it illegal for body piercing amongst under-18s.

Ear lobe piercing is allowed for those under 16 with prior parental consent.

A group of seven deputies has now lodged the first Requete of this States' term, seeking to lower the legal age for body piercing from 18 to 16, with parental consent.

Deputy Rhona Humphreys said the proposal was aimed at the prevention of self-piercing.

"We want them to be able to have piercings done properly in a safe environment," she said.

Deputy Humphreys, who has a teenage daughter, said she acknowledged as a parent, "you want them to fit in".

But she added the issue had been ongoing for almost 10 years and that it had never just got to the top of the to-do list.

"The time is beyond right, it should have been done five years ago," she said.

"We see young people piercing their own bodies and that's just not what we want to do, we want to get something done to help these young people."

Official figures of such instances were not available but she said the problem this new legislation was trying to solve was that "these people have effectively become self-harmers or self-piercers".

She said it was a balance between "the duty of care to the young people, but also allowing them to do what is expression of their personality".

The Deputy advised islanders to visit registered salons and said the change in law could come into place by the end of 2026, if not sooner.

No changes were being considered on the age limits for tattoos which would remain at 18, she said.

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