16yo = "age of consent" = BULLSHIT

[moc]

I have seen a number of posts here and at DailyKos that claim that 16yo is the "age of consent" in the District of Columbia, and that "pedophilia" is defined as inappropriate sexual relations with pre-pubescent children.

This is BULLSHIT.

My husband is a clinical social worker with 15 years of experience, 7 of those in the State of Maryland. According to him, there is no such thing as the "age of consent" with a minor. And yes, a 50+ man hitting on a 16yo is a PEDOPHILE.

I know that most of those here get this, but I've seen this ridiculous "age of consent" meme multiple times here and at DailyKos.

Call it for what it is. BULLSHIT.

[babylonsister]

1. First off, the kid was from Louisiana and Foley is from FL.

But otherwise, I agree with your 'bullshit' comment.

[Jacobin]

2. Um, it would be statutory rape if he followed through

[Warren DeMontague]

3. I can't imagine 50 & 16 is legal anywhere in this country.

If it is, it shouldn't be.

[moc]

7. No, it's not. But that's what these posts are implying.

That although reprehensible, it was legal because of some bogus "age of consent" for people in D.C.

Believe me, the logic escaped me, but I saw the rationale posted more than a few times.

[karlrschneider]

24. You don't believe in the legal concept "age of consent"?

http://www.actwin.com/eatonohio/gay/consent.htm

[LiberalArkie]

4. As a 58 Year old man, I consider hitting on a 30 year old as pedophilia.

[tridim]

13. pedophilia is defined as being sexually attracted to pre-pubescent kids

The word has nothing to do with age differences among adults, nor does it have anything to do with attraction to teenagers.

That said, I'd bet a good chunk of cash that Foley does have child porn on his computer, but so far we have no proof he's a pedophile.

[LoZoccolo]

20. That's ridiculous and self-righteous and probably not your true opinion.

You mean to tell me you'd consider someone your age finding Vida Guerra attractive a pedophile? OK she's 32, not 30, but still.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vida_Guerra

Age of consent laws are important tools for giving equal protection to all victims of statutory rape, and I argued this last week in some thread. But beyond that, I imagine the age-difference taboo applied to adult women protects older women rather than younger ones and that's all I'm going to say about that.

[Monkeyman]

5. He will face charges the kids is pressing them

That's why the fast step down

[brettdale]

6. Where is faux news

screaming out "protect our children."

You think every Journo at faux will be screaming out for this guy to be thrown in jail, oh hang on the guy is a republican so it doesnt matter.

[MichaelHarris]

9. did

you see O'Reilly? He said "it sure does undermine his good work in finding missing children". I wish I could find the quotes when he goes after a "non-republican" predator.

[derby378]

8. Three-word response: Jerry Lee Lewis

Of course, 13 is no longer the legal age of consent in Louisiana, which I think is a good thing.

[WinkyDink]

11. And it was a scandal those 40+ years ago, too.

[Selatius]

10. Age of consent does not legitimize pedophilia, it should not anyway

Age of consent simply means that the 16 year-old is free to have sexual relations with those who are also 16 years of age but not more than 17 years of age.

Anything AT or BEYOND 18 is considered STATUTORY RAPE.

This is how the law works here in my state. I don't know about D.C. though.

The age of consent here in Mississippi was 14 the last time I checked, but I don't know if that is true any longer.

[MisoWeaver]

12. According to this AOC in DOC is 16

http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm

[LoZoccolo]

16. That checked out here too; the source is from 2000 though.

http://starbulletin.com/2000/08/28/editorial/editorials.html

From what I've heard so far it's unlikely that Foley will face criminal charges.

[moc]

17. Might want to check out the post above you.

Your link says 16 is age of consent in Maryland too. My husband worked in Maryland for 7 years. Guess he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Thanks though.
:eyes:

[democrat in Tallahassee]

14. Thanks for saying that! That argument about being 16 is bogus!

It's exploitation, abuse, and yes pedophilia

[KamaAina]

15. It may not be statutory rape

at least not in DC, but when it involves a Congressman and a page, it IS abuse of authority and therefore conduct unbecoming of a Congressman. Good riddance.

[LoZoccolo]

18. Bingo - it wouldn't matter if the kid was even 18, 30, or 40.

Someone acted inappropriately with their authority.

[mongo]

27. WTF?

If both parties are adults, then it is only a problem if someone makes repeated and UNWANTED advances.

[LoZoccolo]

28. That might be legally, but certain occupations...

...might have stricter professional standards. It seemed to be enough of a problem that one of the kids reported him to the in-house congressional agency for handling these things.

[Matariki]

29. The Senate Ethics committee prohibits it, I believe

[moc]

19. The only reason it's not statutory rape is he didn't follow through

with anything (at least not that we know). If he had, yes, it would be statutory rape.

[mongo]

21. Not sure about DC

But in Ohio, what he did is called "importuning", and it is a felony to solicit a minor for sex.

[karlrschneider]

22. It isn't bullshit, it is the clinical and legal definition.

Get over yourself.

[mongo]

31. Pedophilia isn't a "legal" term and it isn't the clinical definition eithe

The APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition, Text Revision gives the following as its "Diagnostic criteria for 302.2 Pedophilia"<26> :

* Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age 13 years or younger).
* The person has acted on these urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.
* The person is at least age 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children in Criterion A.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia

Ephebophilia has been defined as a sexual preference in which an adult is primarily or exclusively sexually attracted to postpubescent adolescents. It comes from the Greek: έφηβος (ephebos) variously defined as "one arrived at puberty", "a youth of 18 who underwent his dokimasia and was registered as a citizen (Athens)", and "arriving at man's estate"; and φιλία (-philia) "love".<1> Despite this classical etymology it is a term of recent coinage, created by psychologist John Money in the late twentieth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia

God I hope you aren't either an lawyer or in the mental health field...

[seabeyond]

23. i disagree with you moc. i would like to define the pedophile to

a younger age. now to go after this man for breaking the law, calling him sick, pig ALL ok. but no... i do not see 16 as an age of pedophile.

you obviously will disagree as many will.... but i do not see it and i want pedophile to not be diluted.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

25. It's 18 in Florida - He's a Florida resident & he was e-mailing in Florida

Hope the same guy who went after Rush Limpballs goes after him.

[Matariki]

26. Age of consent by state

http://www.actwin.com/eatonohio/gay/consent.htm

and here:

http://www.sodomylaws.org/usa/dc/dcdocuments03.htm

II. PURPOSE AND EFFECT

The purpose of Bill 10-30, the "District of Columbia Criminal Code Right to Privacy Amendment Act of 1993", is to eliminate criminal penalties and the stigma of criminality of certain private, consensual, non-commercial sexual acts between consenting adults. The existing law in the District of Columbia which prescribes all acts of sodomy is codified in D.C. Code §22-3502.

Bill 10-30 provides that private and voluntary sodomitic practices between persons 16 years of age or older, whether between members of the same or opposite sex, or between persons who are not married to each other, will no longer be criminal offenses.

[lies and propaganda]

30. It is in Louisiana where Im from.

and thats no shit.