"Isn't she a little young?"

[Whaleboy]

Whaleboy -- it is nearly unfeasible to customize legal laws on an individual basis.

We licence people to drive and we quantify people by qualifications do we not?

And generally, what is acceptable in the individual case, will also be so with society. There can be notable exceptions, which is what I am looking for here. It seems to me, that in the vast majority of cases, it is only beneficial to have a policy restricting sexual contact between minors and adults in order to protect the minors.

Personally I concur, but my argument hinges on a definition of "minor". See above.

Even if there are a few girls who do quite well in the situation, this does not justify the vast majority of the cases where things do not work out.

That is not to say that I am advocating that girls of X age have sex. I am saying that if they want to and are capable of doing so and deciding, then I see no reason why not.

Again, what is the primary goal of consent limitations? To protect the vunerable or provide freedom? I would argue the former and not the latter.

But to define vulnerable is not to specify an age where one is vulnerable then immediately not. What is so different between 15 years 11 months and 16 years 1 month?

[Agathon]

This is the only interesting thread I can find...

For the record my home town had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the world the year I started having sex. My girlfriend at the time used to say that it was because there was nothing else to do.

[Spiffor]

This is an interesting topic. Actually, I'm supportive of a progressive legislation, where age of consent begins at 14. By "progressive legislation", I mean that 14+ year old minors can have sex with people within an age difference (~4 years, and not younger than 14 mind you), while adults can have sex with any other consenting adult.

Even though people often havean understanding of sex at 14, I don't think these young people should be open to predators, for two simple reasons:
- People this age are still quite easy to manipulate, especially in that they haven't completed (sometimes not even begun) their sentimental learning. Blind trust is often found in people this age, which can be especially problematic with an egoist adult making a teenage girl pregnant.
- People this age have very different expectations from their relationships than adults. Especially for virgins, who'll be pressured by the adults into having sex very quickly (sex is an absolutely necessary part of adult relationships, it doesn't come as naturally in relationships between 14 or 15 year-olds)

I have seen this kind of problems in a couple between a 14 and a 17 year-old, and I can only expect these problems to be worse if an older adult preys on the young.

[Agathon]

I believe the age of consent is 14 in Canada, although rumour has it Mr Harper would like to make it 21.

I can't see what's attractive about a 14 year old girl though, and I couldn't see what was when I was 18 either.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Whaleboy


We licence people to drive and we quantify people by qualifications do we not?

You want a sex license?

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Agathon
This is the only interesting thread I can find...

For the record my home town had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the world the year I started having sex. My girlfriend at the time used to say that it was because there was nothing else to do.

that is how it is in a lot of areas in the US also

JOn Miler

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Whaleboy
We licence people to drive and we quantify people by qualifications do we not?

A drivers license is an area of what is really technical expertise, which can be quantified. Some vague statement like "emotionally ready to have sex" cannot.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Agathon
This is the only interesting thread I can find...

For the record my home town had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the world the year I started having sex. My girlfriend at the time used to say that it was because there was nothing else to do.

You grew up with Ted Striker?

[Q Classic]

i've been attracted to a 14 year old before.

of course, i was 14 at the time, so...

[Last Conformist]

Well, we're not gonna outlaw being attracted to minors, no matter how repulsed I was when a "friend" of mine explained that he though 13 was his minimum age for a woman he'd have sex with (he was, at the time, 35).

I tink Spiffor's idea has merit. We don't really want to punish a pair of 14-year-olds for having consensual sex (well, some of us do, but you get the point), but doesn't mean we couldn't punish a 30-year-old ephebophile for taking advantage of a 14-year-old.

[Last Conformist]

Well, we're not gonna outlaw being attracted to minors, no matter how repulsed I was when a "friend" of mine explained that he though 13 was his minimum age for a woman he'd have sex with (he was, at the time, 35).

I tink Spiffor's idea has merit. We don't really want to punish a pair of 14-year-olds for having consensual sex (well, some of us do, but you get the point), but doesn't mean we couldn't punish a 30-year-old ephebophile for taking advantage of a 14-year-old.

[korn469]

I have to go to work here in a while so I don't have time to respond to this thread, but statutory rape impacts more ages than simply the 30 year old and the 13 year old. I have personally experienced all the ins and outs of this law. My girlfriend of the time was 7 weeks away from the age of consent, and I was in my 20's her parents busted us, and consequently it went to court. I loved this girl (and still do but that's another story), but her mom was mad as hell and basically wanted to see me fry. At one point I confronted spending a large majority of my life in prison. My girlfriend thought it was all bs, but that didn't matter, basically the parents have total discrection in this matter. After a long legal fight which cost me every single cent I could scrape up for an entire year, I finally managed to work out a plea bargin.

Anyways, I basically managed to get the lowest penalty possible, which was a contributing to the deliquency of a minor charge. I've been on probation for about a year, and I have four months left (whoo-hoo!). In that time, I've finished up college (even getting on the dean's list while being under indictment for multiple felonies!). I have a decent job (having a criminal record really hurts your employeement chances even if it is only a misdemeaner, far more than I realized when I agreed to the plea deal) and hopefully when I get off of probation I'll find a better job. I'm also writing a book about my experiences, who so knows hopefully I'll become a published author one day. The worst part of my sentence was a restraining order, barring me from contacting her until I get off of probation besides one phone to her after my court date. Well her parents disconnected their phones so I didn't get my legal phone call to her after court, but I did get an update on her from a mutal friend a few months ago.

Anyways, since my court date she dropped out of school. She's also pregnant, and the guy (who's in his early twenties and she's in her late teens) basically lives with her and her parents now. She doesn't have a job, and he works at a Pizza place. Most importantly, since he was from the same town (I was from a different town), the parents didn't have a problem with how things turned out. When I found all of this out, I wanted to kill myself because it broke my heart so bad. I never cry, but I cried about this. I had seriously planned to propose to her on the day I got off probation, but things happen I guess. So in the end did the law protect her? I suppose you could say it did, but it doesn't sound like it did to me. My friend said she loves the new guy, so if she's happy I guess things didn't turn out to bad for her. As for me, it's been a rough couple of years because of this, but oh well. I'm making it just fine, and in just a few months I'll be making it even better, so it's all cool I guess.

[korn469]

oh and btw I live in virginia

[Whaleboy]

You want a sex license?

Only on eBay...

A drivers license is an area of what is really technical expertise, which can be quantified. Some vague statement like "emotionally ready to have sex" cannot.

Wouldn't be that difficult, assuming one is physically capable, someone who wants to have sex can have a quick chat so they understand the risks, consequences, benefits, their own opinion etc and they can get a cool "diklicker" pass as if they were seeing Def Leppard play

Spiffors idea is very interesting though

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
i've been attracted to a 14 year old before.

of course, i was 14 at the time, so...

There are many 15- and 16-year-olds I'd love to hit