So now we have the category of "gentle" rape?

[hedgehog]

Apparently, referring to statutory rape ( voluntary sexual contact between adults and teenagers) as "brutal rape" is considered over the top by many here. We have to decide, are some forms of rape OK? Less wrong than others? Where does sex with a drugged partner fall then? After all, the other person didn't have any objections at the time.

[cali]

1. boy am I gonna get shit for this:

consensual sex between say a 19 year old and an a 16 year old is less wrong to me than drugging someone and raping them or attacking someone and raping them. Hell, in some states it's legal and in some it's statutory rape.

[LostInAnomie]

2. I agree.

[hedgehog]

3. I agree. I think statutory rape laws should be based more on age differences than on actual ages

where minors are involved. That's why I was careful to specify that adults were involved.

I think application of statutory rape laws involving a 19 year old and a 16 year old have more to do with whether the parents like the boy friend than anything else.

I think we are also dealing with the good old double standard; it's OK if a woman has sex with an adolescent male. (However, an adult having sex with an adolescent of the same sex is verbotten.)

[mimi85]

4. Very well said. Thanks for a great post!

[TDale313]

13. No one in the now-hidden thread that inspired this thread...

Ever said the case being discussed was not rape or was not wrong. People objected mostly to the intentionally misleading and sensationalistic thread title that aimed to conjure one image/impression that was seemingly at odds with the facts in the case. I'm not sure why the op went down that road, but it looked like they were playing cute with a serious subject, and they're now on a time out.

[MADem]

9. Most states have that "Romeo and Juliet" codicil to their laws on sexual contact.

If the two involved individuals are close in age, it's not treated the same. The devil, as always, is in the details but two kids in high school aren't going to be labeled sex offenders in most jurisdictions.

[cali]

11. quite a few states do not have romeo and juliet laws concerning if one of the partners is over 18.

or if the age difference is more than 2 years.

[Arkansas Granny]

14. First, let me state that I don't encourage underage sexual encounters. However,

a friend once reminded me that nature says that you are ready for sex at puberty. Society has put age limits on it.

[ZombieHorde]

5. This is what happens when we confuse reality with labels.

The map is not the territory.

Hurting people is hurting people. However, not all attacks, regardless of the labels we use, cause equal harm.

[cali]

6. I don't see that every sexual encounter between a minor teenager and an older partner

causes harm. As I said, in some states it's legal for a 16 year old to have sex with a 19 or 20 year old and in other states it's not- and not all those encounters harm the younger person. I found out, after the fact, that my son had a brief affair when he was 16 (almost 17) with a young woman who was in her early twenties. He was abroad for the summer and she was someone he met in Greece. Didn't do him in any harm. Yes, I'm sure.

[MADem]

7. We do have this category? And we do have to "decide" if some are better than others?

No, I don't think we do have to do anything of the sort.

There are laws on the books on these topics that are pretty clear in most jurisdictions. Where jurisdictions have muddiness in their law, change the law to ensure clarity.

[littlewolf]

8. but is it rape rape ?

[cali]

10. sorry, but I do distinguish between a 16 year old and a 19 year old

having consensual sex and non-consensual acts, whether it's the rape of someone who is unconscious, or a child or rape through force or coercion.

[littlewolf]

12. sorry I was refering to when Whoppi Goldberg

defended Roman Polanski's rape of 13 year old girl
who he drugged and raped while she was saying No repeatedly.
she claimed it wasn't rape rape.
I was being snarky. I am sorry
I understand your position.

[Dr. Strange]

15. That's what the title reminded me of too.

Her "rape rape" comment, and Gore Vidal referring to the victim as a "hooker".