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Actually, its quite logical. A twelve year old girl is too young to consent to sex. I have a thirteen year old girl. I don't regard her as mature enough to make these kinds of decisions.
You can call that "consent" if you want too. I would call it something else. These laws are set up to protect young people from being exploited by those a bit more mature.
Maybe this crime should be called something other than "rape". I would be satisfied with "unlawful sexual intercourse". However, I'm glad it is a criminal offense and I hope where at least 12 year old girls are concerned that it always remains one.
Most people would agree with you that the age of consent ought to be over 12. Where we differ is in believing that the law ought to be enforced as ruthlessly as possible and that those who transgress it ought to be placed on a public hit list, and denied jobs and housing for decades. That is overkill.
Talk to mental health professionals who work with the victims and you will get a very different picture. Much of, if not most "statutory rape" cases involve some form of manipulation, or pressure, or duress, often by someone older or in a position of authority. And where there has been what might be called "willing consent," that occurs because the child has been prematurely sexualized by previous abuse or forcible rape. It's not at all unusual for someone who was sexually abused as a small child, for instance, to become sexually active when they hit puberty, because the normal cycles of sexual maturation and inhibition have been tampered with.
It's also not unusual for a victim of statutory rape to have emotional problems and relationship problems that can last a lifetime. It is not a "victimless crime" as some would like to believe.
The concept of legal consent is that one has to be mature enough, healthy enough emotionally, and unimpaired by drink or drugs to be able to agree willingly. What the age of consent laws are intended for is to protect young people from predators by saying that under a certain age they cannot be considered to have granted consent willingly, under any circumstances.
If I'm not mistaken, most states, the legal age for consent is 16.
I find it odd that all of these ages are different.
16 to drive
18 an adult
21 to drink
What is all of that? These age groups are anywhere from 2 to 4 years apart. It's simple.
Some kids mature at different levels, I get that- Some kids are more mature, mentally/physically than adults, and make better descisons than adults which isn't a surprise.
If a 15 year old wants sex and tell her bf she wants it, do you think any normal teenage-adult guy would turn down sex? Let's be honest here. It's her fault, you don't consent to anything if your not sure. Some guys are hungry for sex, most are, some not, we need to stop acting as if the girl is always the victim. She's not. I feel it not only angry but shocked that us guys get held responsible for a womans actions.
I'm all for teenage relationships. There is nothing wrong with it at all,yet I don't support teenagers engaging in sex. If they are, which most do, the need to learn to use protection.
Talk to mental health professionals who work with the victims and you will get a very different picture. Much of, if not most "statutory rape" cases involve some form of manipulation, or pressure, or duress, often by someone older or in a position of authority.
I don't clinicians are all over the map when it comes to how much harm is caused by what the law calls abuse, and how nefarious the perpetrators are or are not. Let's recall the controversy over the Rind study both within and without the psychiatric community, as one example.
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And where there has been what might be called "willing consent," that occurs because the child has been prematurely sexualized by previous abuse or forcible rape. It's not at all unusual for someone who was sexually abused as a small child, for instance, to become sexually active when they hit puberty, because the normal cycles of sexual maturation and inhibition have been tampered with.
That is widely believed but untrue, and who decides what is premature anyway? And how does passing a law affect what is "premature"? The age of consent could be 35 if the legislature decided to make it that; and if they did, it wouldn't take long before people started mentally believing that nobody under 35 was capable of consent.
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It's also not unusual for a victim of statutory rape to have emotional problems and relationship problems that can last a lifetime. It is not a "victimless crime" as some would like to believe.
It's not unusual for someone in a bad relationship of any kind to have emotional problems from it. There is no magical dust that gets sprinkled on you at midnight of your 16th or 18th birthday that insulates you from emotional harm, is there?
If I'm not mistaken, most states, the legal age for consent is 16.
I find it odd that all of these ages are different.
16 to drive
18 an adult
21 to drink
What is all of that? These age groups are anywhere from 2 to 4 years apart. It's simple.
Some kids mature at different levels, I get that- Some kids are more mature, mentally/physically than adults, and make better descisons than adults which isn't a surprise.
If a 15 year old wants sex and tell her bf she wants it, do you think any normal teenage-adult guy would turn down sex? Let's be honest here. It's her fault, you don't consent to anything if your not sure. Some guys are hungry for sex, most are, some not, we need to stop acting as if the girl is always the victim. She's not. I feel it not only angry but shocked that us guys get held responsible for a womans actions.
I'm all for teenage relationships. There is nothing wrong with it at all,yet I don't support teenagers engaging in sex. If they are, which most do, the need to learn to use protection.
I was 15 when I was allowed to date.
I've got kids of both genders. Neither of them date yet, but one has peers that are dating.
I'll be honest. I don't entirely understand why an "adult" man would seek out a 15 year old to date, and put himself in the hypothetical position of being accused of statutory rape. Most kids turn 15 their freshman year of high school. I suppose you could have a HS senior dating a freshman...I frankly wouldn't be crazy about it though. Someone who'd graduated from HS wanting to date a 15 year old....it wouldn't be encouraged in our house. 15 year olds aren't known for good decision making skills.
When the time comes, I'll sit my son down and have a talk with him about not getting himself in a situation where the accusation could happen.
Plus girls mature faster and kids in general are having sex younger than ever. And as I stated above, AoC is outdated and takes power away from parents. If parents want to protect/control their kids then they can get a restraining order. Also, if we do keep AoC, drop it to 16 and add a peer loophole so kids school-aged aren't prosecuted. If they're in school together, +1 or 2 years, they shouldn't be able to be charged IMO.
Girls might physically mature faster...some might be able to get pregnant at a very good age. I'm not really sure what that has to do with the issue. Physical maturity does not equal brain maturity.
I honestly can't see how statutory rape could cause ANY damage to the victim other than regret. That victim isn't really a victim, it was consented sex and to call it any form of rape is absurd. It's under-aged consented sex. If parents had more of an upperhand over the child, then maybe we would have less of these "statutory rape cases"
I think a lot of people responding to this post are ignoring what the original statutory rape (criminal sexual contact) laws were put in place for.. Mainly, .. Stepfathers, "Uncles", live-in boyfriends who abuse a young child/daughter by visiting her bedroom when left alone with the *victim* and taking advantage of the situation.
That puts a WHOLE different spin on this question of whether statutory rape causes damage to the victims, now doesn't it??!
How could it possibly NOT cause damage to this poor victim?? Too often these dysfunctional family situations include immature parents/step-parents, single parents that don't care, or women jealous of their daughter's youth and wouldn't believe or support them. It's out there but those aren't the cases that we seldom hear about because these victims are too afraid, too cornered to be able to have anyone on their side that would defend them. They are scarred for life.
Those are the guys I'd love to string up by their balls and hope it castrates them.
Girls might physically mature faster...some might be able to get pregnant at a very good age. I'm not really sure what that has to do with the issue. Physical maturity does not equal brain maturity.
No, but it often equals her going out and having consensual sex which shouldn't necessarily result in her parter being labeled a sexual criminal or whatever. Sometimes it's all on the girl, she is the aggressor, and usually more often than most parents of girls will ever admit to. I'm not stupid though, I have eyes.
I don't think that's true. It may be for some but in general I really don't believe that's the case. That's my point with this thread, actually. It's not that I don't understand the need for statutory rape laws or that older kids/adults can take advantage of younger kids and that there is a risk of STD's and pregnancy. My question is, is the victim of statutory rape emotionally or mentally damaged by the experience? Do they themselves feel like victims? There seems to be a general belief that they do, as expressed by the above poster, but I question if that is really true. I had a relationship with an older guy as a teenager and I don't feel damaged and I didn't then either. I may be the exception but I don't think so.
I personally believe that the belief that consensual sex among teenagers is damaging has more to do with the way we Americans view sex in general than what we actually know about the experiences of teens. In other countries and cultures a relationship between a 15-year old and an 18-year old is not considered a big deal and even consensual sex among 13-year olds is not seen as a damaging experience for them. Do kids in other countries experience things differently than American kids do? Or do the adults in those societies just fail to recognize the damage they've suffered?
Its a sweeping conclusion every statutory rape victim is damaged. Though potentially damaging, its case by case depending on the the individual, their family views and support system.
European societies don't hold the same views as Americans on sexuality. Interestingly, the US has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates.
No, but it often equals her going out and having consensual sex which shouldn't necessarily result in her parter being labeled a sexual criminal or whatever. Sometimes it's all on the girl, she is the aggressor, and usually more often than most parents of girls will ever admit to. I'm not stupid though, I have eyes.
Where is a younger girl(but sexually mature) meeting these people she's having consensual sex with? Why is a n adult male having sex with someone 5 or 6 years younger than him, even if you imply it is consensual?
Having an aggressive kid is one thing...there is responsibility though from the other parties. Just because someone might be aggressive doesn't mean we sell them alcohol or let them drive our car.
Why isn't the adult male seeking out girls his own age, rather than a girl who is younger?
I know how my kids and her friends act.....they aren't running around seeking older guys. In my experience when there is a larger age difference, it is the older party "grooming" the younger party. Could also be an older woman and a minor male.
Girls might physically mature faster...some might be able to get pregnant at a very good age. I'm not really sure what that has to do with the issue. Physical maturity does not equal brain maturity.
How do you figure? The brain is a part of the body like any other organ or limb.
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