Quote:
Giancarlo DiPierro wrote:
I wonder if the reaction be the same, though, if she had been 16? Would it even have come to the attention of this forum were not for the fact that he broke the law? Or is there such a clear and significant difference in development between 13 and 16 (which could be closer to a 2 year difference than 3, depending on where the person's birthday falls) that that would have been acceptable?
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ABSOLUTELY...there is a *significant* difference in development between 13 and 16. The average child enters adolescence around age 11-12 - some of them a year or two earlier or later. At the age of 16, the child is nearing the end of the adolescent period (again, give or take a couple years). And it would NOT be acceptable for a 40-something year old to initiate an "inappropriate" relationship with a 16-yr-old. A 16-yr-old simply is NOT mature enough to handle all of the consequences of an "adult relationship" (e.g., unwanted pregnancy).
Quote:
Giancarlo DiPierro wrote:
If you think 16 is equally deplorable, although legal, then where do you draw the line? 18? 21? 30? It seems to me that if you frame the issue in black-and-white terms then you have to pick an arbitrary point where you go from one to the other.
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Unwanted sexual advances - regardless of age - should not be tolerated...PERIOD. Hence, the discussion about teacher/student boundaries.