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Topic History of: Anyone else find this frightening?
Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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Al |
Not so many years ago one of the tabloids (forget which) reported on the marriage of a 60yr old man to his girlfriend on her 16th birthday. They sent their congratulations. I couldn't help thinking how different their story would have been if they'd written it one day earlier. He'd have been labelled a pervert, and her parents would have been demonised for allowing such a relationship.
Morality is often dictated by law. If the age of consent is 14, many currently unacceptable relationships would become acceptable. Nobody saw this marriage as immoral, because it was legal. It's obvious they had some kind of relationship before her birthday, although not necessarily sexual, but since she was legal age by the time people knew about it, there was no criticism.
I recall all of the fuss over the ex-teacher who was taken off the 'dangerous list' by Ruth Kelly. He'd had a relationship with a pupil who he went on to marry. They stayed together, raising a family, for 17 years. His attraction to her did not imply atraction to other young girls. He simply fell in love with an individual who happened to be under the legal age. At worst he'd acted unethically. The media and public reaction to Ruth Kelly's decision was out of all proportion.
The ironic thing is that each of us, including those who violently oppose older men having sex with young girls, will be descended from at least one such relationship. These relationships are not un-natural, and were once quite common. They have become unacceptable because they are now illegal. |
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JK2006 |
Well Pete, I'm with you personally (I find teenagers exhausting just to talk to these days, al that bling and hip hop) but when 80 year old men fall in love with 18 year old girls and vice versa, although it's beyond my comprehension on both sides, if they are both happy, why not?
I can't see why it's any of my business. Indeed, if they are both in love I'm happy for them.
God forbid we should all conform to the tastes of others. |
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Pete Clarke |
Unsettling? I'd call it sick...
I see no reason at all why we should even consider lowering the age of consent.
Let's face it, by doing so a number of very sick individuals would be rubbing their hands with glee.
Jerry Lee Lewis was allowed to marry a thirteen year old girl. I mean, what kind of man must he have been? And what kind of parent would allow their CHILD to marry at that age? |
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Godiver |
The key point should be the difference in age between the two parties. Is it abuse for one 11 year old to experiment with a 12 year old? I know i did it when i was a kid. The alarm comes when one party is much older than the other.
The age of consent means nothing. If a forty year old man was sleeping with a 16 year old girl it would be unsettling even though it's legal. |
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Al |
I certainly think that "actual" consent should be considered alongside "legal" consent. For example if a 17yr old boy has sex with his 15yr old girlfriend, there is no legal consent, but there is most likely actual consent. The law is the law, but discretion is (or should be) a part of legal proceedings. One way could be to allow for retro consent - for example, once the girl reaches 16 she could be asked if she gives retro consent. Meanwhile, the boyfriend could be on conditional release.
It makes sense to protect children who have not reached puberty and are, therefore, sexually immature. Beyond that, there is a need for discretion and common sense. Some teenagers are more able to handle a relationship than some adults. I think 14 is a reasonable age for consent. If sex is against the wishes of either person, then it's illegal (and wrong) regardless of age. |
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