Delta4Embassy
Gold Member
During my regular morning reading, I came upon a site called the Ethical Treatment of All Youth that deals with teenaged sexual offenses (where both parties involved are teens.) The laws governing teenaged sexuality are positively draconian. Some excerpts:
"Prosecution of teenagers
Teenage sexual behavior is not seen as a disorder to the extent that prepubescent behavior is. Nevertheless, it is not unusual for teens to be prosecuted for non-coerced sexual behavior and labeled as sex offenders.
In its brochure for teenagers, one state's attorney general's office issues the following warning (bold in the original):
Even if you are a minor, if you have consensual sexual contact with someone under the age of 15, you can be charged with gross sexual imposition in juvenile court. If your case then is transferred to adult court, you will be treated as an adult sex offender and will be subject to the same penalties as an adult. The law does not make an exception for you because you are in love..."Second base" can get you arrested! Although it may seem harmless to you, you can be charged with a sex offense!...Even if your boyfriend or girlfriend wants to have sex with you, your friend's parents can still have you arrested if they find out.
In addition to behavior that is abusive, the brochure lists the following as crimes: consensual sexual contact, fondling, and fornication. It describes the following possible penalties: imprisonment of up to 20 years, fines of up to $10,000, registration as a sex offender, and notification to police when moving for the rest of one's life.
In two separate incidents in Wisconsin, both young teenagers in sexual relationships were recently charged with sexually assaulting each other.
*
According to police, a 14-year-old city of Pewaukee boy and a 13-year-old village of Pewaukee girl allegedly engaged in sexual activity in a residence...Police are seeking to charge both with second-degree sexual assault.
--Lake Country Reporter
*
...authorities say their prosecution is meant to help...The boy is being held in secure detention on a charge of attempted second-degree sexual assault...The girl pleaded guilty to fourth degree sexual assault.
--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"
ETAY: Criminalization
What does this kind of legal restriction on natural sexual curiousity do but harm teens? And this is in the US no less. I expect this sort of thing from Islamic countries, but not from us.
Regardless of how we feel about whether teens should be having sex with other teens or not, I like to think we'd all agree that when they do they shouldn't be subject to adult definitions for sexual offenses at the very least. That they are is positively horrific. It's sending the message that sex is the worst possible thing you can do when it is in fact the very best. That mixed messaging is causing profound psychological damage and needs to be ammended.
If nothing else, every state in the union should implement a 'close-in-age' exemption to sexual offenses so teens a couple years apart in age can enjoy sex together when it's mutually consensual without fear of being charged with felony crimes and having to register as sex offenders (which basically destroys your future since you're restricted on where you can work, live, etc..)
I assume even ~30 years ago laws similar to these were in effect, and so by such terms most adults today are probably defacto sex offenders. Including myself. The ridiculousness of this is why modern laws making the sex we mostly all enjoyed once upon a time criminal needs to be done away with. If anything, teens today are better prepared and equipped for sexual activity than even we were. If we don't now identify as victims of sexual crimes, why subject our teens today to laws we would have balked at ourselves when young?
"Prosecution of teenagers
Teenage sexual behavior is not seen as a disorder to the extent that prepubescent behavior is. Nevertheless, it is not unusual for teens to be prosecuted for non-coerced sexual behavior and labeled as sex offenders.
In its brochure for teenagers, one state's attorney general's office issues the following warning (bold in the original):
Even if you are a minor, if you have consensual sexual contact with someone under the age of 15, you can be charged with gross sexual imposition in juvenile court. If your case then is transferred to adult court, you will be treated as an adult sex offender and will be subject to the same penalties as an adult. The law does not make an exception for you because you are in love..."Second base" can get you arrested! Although it may seem harmless to you, you can be charged with a sex offense!...Even if your boyfriend or girlfriend wants to have sex with you, your friend's parents can still have you arrested if they find out.
In addition to behavior that is abusive, the brochure lists the following as crimes: consensual sexual contact, fondling, and fornication. It describes the following possible penalties: imprisonment of up to 20 years, fines of up to $10,000, registration as a sex offender, and notification to police when moving for the rest of one's life.
In two separate incidents in Wisconsin, both young teenagers in sexual relationships were recently charged with sexually assaulting each other.
*
According to police, a 14-year-old city of Pewaukee boy and a 13-year-old village of Pewaukee girl allegedly engaged in sexual activity in a residence...Police are seeking to charge both with second-degree sexual assault.
--Lake Country Reporter
*
...authorities say their prosecution is meant to help...The boy is being held in secure detention on a charge of attempted second-degree sexual assault...The girl pleaded guilty to fourth degree sexual assault.
--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"
ETAY: Criminalization
What does this kind of legal restriction on natural sexual curiousity do but harm teens? And this is in the US no less. I expect this sort of thing from Islamic countries, but not from us.
Regardless of how we feel about whether teens should be having sex with other teens or not, I like to think we'd all agree that when they do they shouldn't be subject to adult definitions for sexual offenses at the very least. That they are is positively horrific. It's sending the message that sex is the worst possible thing you can do when it is in fact the very best. That mixed messaging is causing profound psychological damage and needs to be ammended.
If nothing else, every state in the union should implement a 'close-in-age' exemption to sexual offenses so teens a couple years apart in age can enjoy sex together when it's mutually consensual without fear of being charged with felony crimes and having to register as sex offenders (which basically destroys your future since you're restricted on where you can work, live, etc..)
I assume even ~30 years ago laws similar to these were in effect, and so by such terms most adults today are probably defacto sex offenders. Including myself. The ridiculousness of this is why modern laws making the sex we mostly all enjoyed once upon a time criminal needs to be done away with. If anything, teens today are better prepared and equipped for sexual activity than even we were. If we don't now identify as victims of sexual crimes, why subject our teens today to laws we would have balked at ourselves when young?
