To OSH and ChoirBoy
Submitted by Mark on June 17 2000 22:58:59
In reply to to OSH... submitted by AKA on June 16 2000 17:12:15
|
We have to be careful taking a stand against minor-adult sex based on assuming that the minor is harmed. There are too many examples in the literature (e.g., Savin-Williams, Constantine, Rind et al.) of people who wanted sex with adults when they were adolescents (or sometimes even children) and who were not harmed by it. In many cases the younger person enjoyed it and as an adult still looks back on it positively. It is presumptious for those of us who were not familiar with the relationships to call them abusive. This does not negate the fact that many cases of adult-minor sex are abusive, as the ones described by ChoirBoy. When there is a power imbalance in a relationship that doesn't necessarily mean abuse occurs. It only means there is a potential for abuse. We do not prohibit adult-child relationships simply because there is a potential for abuse; otherwise we would not allow parental or teacher-student relationships to occur. The question is whether the good that comes from such a relationship outweighs the possibility of harm. In the case of a sexual relationship, I think the good that can come is too little and the potential for harm is too great because of the intense emotions involved, the different way young people experience sex from adults, the subtle ways the adult can lead the young person without realizing it, society's reaction, etc. Also, the Bible itself does not rule out child-adult sex since marriages in Old and New Testament times typically involved young girls and adult men, and the church continued to accept such marriages for several centuries. However, there is still the moral consideration that sex should only occur in the context of a life-time commitment. In today's society, a minor usually cannot make that commitment, and the BLer probably will not either. I would like to point out that is also unfair to imply that a person who is attracted to children or adolescents who wants sex with them is more selfish, uncaring, or lustful than a straight man who wants sex with a woman. It sounded to me like ChoirBoy implied that. Mark |
Follow ups: