Victoria bans nipple and genital piercing for minors

Melbourne, Dec 30 (ANI): Under new Victorian laws, minors will be barred from getting their nipples and genitals pierced and kids under 16 will need parental consent for any other body piercing.

The laws will come in effect from January 1, which will see piercers fined with 6600 dollars if they give a person aged under 18 an intimate body piercing.

Those who give minors a tattoo or perform scarification, tongue splitting, branding or beading on someone aged under 18 will be slapped with the same penalty.

And piercers will have to pay 2200-dollar fine if they give kids under 16 a non-intimate body piercing without parental consent.

According to Attorney-General Rob Hulls, the new laws would help protect young people as the popularity of body art is on the rise.

"The possible health implications associated with body piercing can include the transmission of blood-borne viruses, infection, scarring and nerve damage," News.com.au quoted him, as saying.

"These new laws provide clear guidance for body piercers, and balance the rights of guardians and parents with the freedom of expression of young people," he added.

Piercers can escape fines only if they manage to prove the client duped them into believing they were of legal age by producing fraudulent ID, like a driver licence. (ANI)