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Pastimes : Don't Ask Rambi

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To: Janice Shell who wrote (9753)4/14/1998 7:23:00 PM
From: Rambi  Read Replies (3) of 71178
 
That's why we have judges and juries and social workers and long tedious home studies and psychological testing yada yada...because there is nothing cut and dried about any law.
If the ages are that close-I doubt that prosecution would be vigorously pursued. But with an 18 and and a 13---there should definitely be some guidelines and some consequences. As a parent, I appreciate the help certain laws---e.g.teen curfews--give me in enforcing desired behaviors in my children. Individual cases will not convince me otherwise---there is always one case that can appear to represent the wisdom of an opposing viewpoint. I fall back on my years of education and experience in the field and as a parent which have convinced me that on the whole, minors are not ready for sex and its ramifications.
When an adult has sex with a child there is a great deal more involved than a sexual act. There is control and power and seduction. Children need protection against an adult who would use those weapons against someone not nearly mature enough to take on the consequences of the sex act, to make well-considered decisions for him or herself. I believe it IS criminal of an adult to take advantage of a minor in this way. 13 is a baby--I don't care how physically developed she is.
That is what I meant about the discrepancy between the physical ability being out of whack with the social skills necessary TODAY to be an adult or especially to have children. It's not just the child we're protecting; it's society as a whole. Children can't raise children.
Gaugie asks facetiously if we should raise the age of consent to 30 and give a test. I answer somewhat facetiously that giving a test is not such a bad idea. The readiness or the ability to make wise decisions does not rest solely on the relationship between parents and child, or the apparent maturity of a child, or how in love a young couple is. I believe we owe it to children to protect them as best we can from predators, from the pressure of their "partner", and at times from themselves.
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