Wednesday, December 17, 2008

I Don't Know What This Is, but It Isn't Rape

Another story here of an older woman bumping uglies with a teenage boy. It seems these stories come out once a week or so, raising the question of whether or not middle aged women have all of a sudden become more attracted to teenage boys, or was this something that has gone on quietly and consistently, but without the national megaphone of the internet and 24 hour news cycles. I believe it is the latter.

Let's raise the sensitive issue, shall we? I don't believe this is rape, I don't think the word rape should be used in connection with events like this, and I don't think this kind of behavior should be felonious. There was no violence here, the young man attempted to defend the honor of his Cougar, and he certainly attempted to downplay what was going on.

Criminologists and others tell us rape is a crime of violence. "Statutory" rape then, should not apply to events like this. Child advocates would have you believe that there are potentially long-lasting detriments to the boy involved in a relationship like this--but I'd love to see the data on those studies. Let's face it, there are also potentially long-lasting detriments to a 13 year old boy falling in love with a 13 year old girl....but no one thinks that should discourage young love.

I'm a bit sexist on this one (surprise), but I get more creeped out when the older party is male--though I still do not think the term rape can be used when dealing with consensual sex. Again, child advocates would have you believe that a child cannot be relied upon to make adult decisions about sex. One wonders how many of these child advocates would be so concerned about the teenage girl's decision making skills if she became pregnant from such a coupling and wished to have the fetus aborted. I presume a good many of them would reject the utility of parental notification laws.

On the other side of the equation, let's face it--a teenage boy who is knocking boots with an older woman enjoys folk legend status in the locker room. No, this kind of thing should not be rape and it should not be felonious. If our society wishes to discourage this behavior (and I think it should), it should do so as a misdemeanor.

6 comments:

Goldwater's Ghost said...

I agree with you - this doesn't fit within the category of "rape" and to state otherwise I feel is an insult to victims of the crime.

This is more like "lewd behavior" or "seduction of a minor" type thing, but no less demanding of the watchful eye of the law.

...something that has gone on quietly and consistently, but without the national megaphone of the internet and 24 hour news cycles." Being that we grew up in the same neighborhood (same home actually)- are you speaking from personal experience? Because I know there were a few members of the Laurel Knoll Coffee Klatch for whom I had harbored the Mrs. Robinson fantasy...

Anonymous said...

I understand that a member or two of that coffeeklatch also harbored fantasies about a certain older brother the two of you have in common.

Anonymous said...

Tough to tell on this one, nobody ever looks good in a mug shot. I think we all need to see how hot she is before we pass judgement.

Beyond Bibb's Store said...

Yeesh, what a sweat hog. Mebbe the kid should go to prison for poor judgement.........although if you're 13 and opportunity presents........beggers can't be....

Doc Milnamo said...

Me thinks Mrs. P the dentist's wife wanted this older brother!

SamShapiro said...

Keith and Jeff K's mom was pretty hot, as was Mrs. Doc B. I always had a thing for the lady across the street. She had it going on in the leopard bikini. Loved when she would answer the door instead of that grumpy husband of hers.

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