Talk:Statutory rape

Comments for improving this page

complex words: required, consent, engage

other notes:

First paragraph:

• "Sex activity" should be "sexual activity". That's because the word "sex" is a noun, and the word "sexual" is an adjective. In fact, it would be simpler to replace "sexual intercourse and sex activity" with just "sexual activity".
• "Minors under the age of consent" is redundant -- just say either "minors" or "people under the age of consent" (the first is simpler).
• The last sentence of the first paragraph leaves the reader wondering why this article is about "statutory rape" if the term isn't used. Either explain that, or combine this sentence into the third paragraph, which seems related.

Second paragraph:

• The second paragraph seems to repeat what is said in the first one. The only additional point is that the minor is sexually mature. It would probably be better to include that point in the first sentence to give a more complete definition.

Third paragraph:

• "Sexual assault" isn't always statutory rape, so that term should be removed. I know it's in the enwiki article, but it's wrong there, too.

--Auntof6 (talk) 21:08, 14 January 2015 (UTC)

I've combined certain wording and paragraphs, made this article simpler. Also removed required and engage. Angela Maureen (talk) 21:40, 14 January 2015 (UTC)

Sexually mature?

This is ambiguous and is not stated in the en article. I've heard the term statutory rape used for underage sexual activity with various ages of participants. I don't see it stated anywhere that the underage person involved must be post-pubertal. Different jurisdictions have different ages of consent, and this term is not used in all of them. The point is that it is underage sex, rather than the specific age and or development level of the young person. The age at which puberty occurs varies. I find it difficult to believe that the charge/term would be different depending on whether or not (s)he was undergoing puberty, has not started or had completed it. Jim Michael (talk) 09:31, 15 January 2015 (UTC)

It comes from this, from the enwiki article:

The term statutory rape generally refers to sex between an adult and a sexually mature minor past the age of puberty. Sexual relations with a prepubescent child, generically called child sexual abuse or molestation, is typically treated as a more serious crime.

Granted, this statement is not referenced, but it makes sense to me. Do you have a reference for your point of view? --Auntof6 (talk) 09:42, 15 January 2015 (UTC)

Many sources, including this one [1], do not mention puberty or a minimum age. There is also the issue of the ambiguity of 'sexually mature'. An adolescent who has recently finished puberty may be considered physically mature, but (s)he is not psychologically mature.

Even if the wording in your comment can be reliably sourced, that might not be the definition in all jurisdictions.

Jim Michael (talk) 10:05, 15 January 2015 (UTC)

Most jurisdictions do not consider sexual maturity in their laws. In one state in Mexico, it is a factor, and its also a factor in Russian law, but generally it is not. Most jurisdictions have a single minimum age, for example in France it is 15, which means anyone at that age or older than it can have sex with anyone else at that age or older than it, in Wisconsin, USA its 18 which is the same thing just with a different age. In states like these, puberty is not usually considered relevant to whether a crime is committed, a prepubescent 15 year old in France would still be a consenting adult as far as the state is concerned, and a postpubescent 14 year old would still be a rape victim. --FDR (talk) 05:42, 19 February 2015 (UTC)

Age of consent

Unless this term has other meanings, such as sexual acts against mentally retarded persons, then the article is redundant to the age of consent article. RegrettingMistakes777 (talk) 22:54, 24 June 2022 (UTC)

'I don't think the articles should be merged. They are different topics. Although our article doesn't cover it, statutory rape doesn't apply only to minors: it can also apply to people over the age of consent who are unable to give meaningful consent, for example people with diminished mental capacity. The topics are related and should reference each other, but should stay separate.' Auntof6 wrote that on the age of consent article's talk page. I disagree with her because the age of consent article does not cover the issue of mentally retarded adults being victims of statutory rape. [[2]] RegrettingMistakes777 (talk) 22:57, 24 June 2022 (UTC)