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Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)
Sun May 26, 2013, 08:13 PM May 2013

Should sex between an 18 year old and someone younger than a specified age always be illegal? [View all]

I'm trying to get some clarity on what DU thinks the age of consent should be when the older partner is 18. So for this poll, assume that the older partner is aged 18 and pick the option for where you think the age of consent for the younger partner should be (meaning that sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of consent would always be illegal, regardless of whether the younger party resisted or putatively consented).


13 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
No. Sex between an 18 year old and someone younger than 11 should be legal in certain circumstances.
0 (0%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 11 should always be illegal.
0 (0%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 12 should always be illegal.
1 (8%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 13 should always be illegal.
0 (0%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 14 should always be illegal.
1 (8%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 15 should always be illegal.
1 (8%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 16 should always be illegal.
10 (77%)
Yes. Sex between an 18 year old and someone below the age of 17 should always be illegal.
0 (0%)
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Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll
48 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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One of my aunts, that lived two doors down from me when growing up, was married when she was 13. Tx4obama May 2013 #1
Did she marry a three-year-old? WTH?? WinkyDink May 2013 #34
Huh? He was older than her. He died first. She lived many more years after his death. Tx4obama May 2013 #40
I didn't consider that! WinkyDink May 2013 #43
Raising the age of consent to 35 would solve a lot of problems. nt Robb May 2013 #2
I'm so hard core, I think it should be illegal for someone to masturbate on their own 18th birthday. Warren DeMontague May 2013 #3
I have adult gay male friends who were seeking out sex with adult men when they were 14 MNBrewer May 2013 #4
I guess it's not as black and white as some of us (maybe most) would like it to be. nomorenomore08 May 2013 #5
Well, the adult men having sex with 14 yr olds. uppityperson May 2013 #10
If you say so. MNBrewer May 2013 #16
And what about your friend's parents? Did they not care if their son was statutorily raped? randome May 2013 #18
His parents would have kicked him out of the house had they known he was gay, MNBrewer May 2013 #19
Thanks for the answer. randome May 2013 #20
Sexual orientation doesn't matter, what matters is the power differential between 14 and an adult. uppityperson May 2013 #25
The criminal is the one exploiting the judgement (or lack there of) of horny teenagers Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2013 #36
He didn't need legal protection from either of those things MNBrewer May 2013 #39
I have had about half a dozen extremely young girls pursue me over the last twenty years Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2013 #42
The libido doesn't always mesh with the intellect. Hence, laws. WinkyDink May 2013 #45
The chicken-hawks. WinkyDink May 2013 #44
Without a line Peregrine May 2013 #6
Agree completely. randome May 2013 #13
Do you feel that the majority of teens are manipulated? LadyHawkAZ May 2013 #23
I think the majority are not ready for sex before 18. randome May 2013 #35
But those not ready before 18 generally aren't having sex before 18 LadyHawkAZ May 2013 #48
Good point. nt RedCappedBandit May 2013 #46
...and trash this thread... Iggo May 2013 #7
I haven't weighed in on this issue Aerows May 2013 #8
Thanks for the thoughtful answer. NaturalHigh May 2013 #38
If we trust an 18yr old to vote we can trust em to obey basic laws I hope The Straight Story May 2013 #9
I don't always agree with you, but here I have no objections. nomorenomore08 May 2013 #21
I think the line should be there but I think you're right about tying the hands of judges, too. randome May 2013 #22
Wow, I'm surprised that 2/3 want to draw that firm line at 18. Comrade Grumpy May 2013 #11
Do you feel that "no line" way about the vote? Drinking alcohol? Signing contracts? Buying a gun? WinkyDink May 2013 #14
You draw the line at 729 days and someone will come along and say "Why not 727?" randome May 2013 #15
Look. Try seeing this NOT from some imaginary "in-love" "nice" 18-yr-old's viewpoint. Try WinkyDink May 2013 #12
I'm more concerned with the circumstances than age LittleBlue May 2013 #17
I'm comfortable with a 4 year leeway LadyHawkAZ May 2013 #24
+1 Go Vols May 2013 #26
This message was self-deleted by its author JimDandy May 2013 #27
Does anyone ever fall in love anymore? defacto7 May 2013 #28
In Sweden, sex between an 18 year old and someone younger than 15 is illegal without exception. Nye Bevan May 2013 #29
OK. defacto7 May 2013 #30
Yeah but look at Germany, Italy, and Spain davidn3600 May 2013 #31
Under 16 should be illegal but not always charged - leave some room for prosecutorial discretion. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #32
We need a two year rule, sex with a minor two or more years younger is illegal. bemildred May 2013 #33
Yes In_The_Wind May 2013 #37
It is difficult to select one specific age sarisataka May 2013 #41
I like the 'peer group' consideration raised by other posters ITT RedCappedBandit May 2013 #47
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