As Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) launches his rebellion against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), multiple reports indicate that House Republicans are looking to get rid of the Florida congressman altogether. According to a report from CNN, an unnamed House Republican said that the caucus wants Gaetz gone — and that they may use the findings
I disagree. I think there’s a fundamental difference between violent rape, coercive rape, and manipulative rape. And our current terminology doesn’t really work well for pointing out those differences. But the distinction between “rape” and “statutory rape” is a good one.
I think you’re really harming victims of violent rape by equating that with a 19 year old and a 17 year old having a lay. Or even a 29 year old and a 17 year old. It waters down the term. Now when you say “so and so is a convicted rapist” people can go “yeah, but was it really?”
Edit: my favorite argument for this was how the right wing started calling Bill Clinton a rapist. Do they actually think he’s a rapist? Of course not. Does anyone really? Of course not, except for naive fools. But technically, by the Progressive, ivory-tower, PC, inclusive, new definition of rape…he was. So they used that to attack him, with a bonus of making the actual rapists on their team seem not so bad.
There’s no need to apologize. You can call it whatever you like. However, legally—the important distinction—the charge would be statutory rape (among others, like trafficking).
It would also depend on the state. I’m not actually sure where the sexual act took place, but in Florida (where he’s from) the age of consent is 18. Should this have happened in Washington State, for example, this would not be statutory rape because the age of consent is 16.
Either way, it’s prostitution of a minor and sex trafficking which is equally reprehensible.
Anyway, semantics matter in court, but we’re just chatting.
Well, statutory rape. I’m not trying to let him off easy, but semantics are important
I’m also more fond of something like “Sexually assaulted a minor” or “engaged in sex with a child”. You know, something that hammers home what he did.
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Statutory rape is rape. It’s in the name.
It is deemed that an underage person (child) is not able to make decision of this sort. Similarly to an intoxicated person.
I will continue to call it rape, sorry.
I disagree. I think there’s a fundamental difference between violent rape, coercive rape, and manipulative rape. And our current terminology doesn’t really work well for pointing out those differences. But the distinction between “rape” and “statutory rape” is a good one.
I think you’re really harming victims of violent rape by equating that with a 19 year old and a 17 year old having a lay. Or even a 29 year old and a 17 year old. It waters down the term. Now when you say “so and so is a convicted rapist” people can go “yeah, but was it really?”
Edit: my favorite argument for this was how the right wing started calling Bill Clinton a rapist. Do they actually think he’s a rapist? Of course not. Does anyone really? Of course not, except for naive fools. But technically, by the Progressive, ivory-tower, PC, inclusive, new definition of rape…he was. So they used that to attack him, with a bonus of making the actual rapists on their team seem not so bad.
There’s no need to apologize. You can call it whatever you like. However, legally—the important distinction—the charge would be statutory rape (among others, like trafficking).
It would also depend on the state. I’m not actually sure where the sexual act took place, but in Florida (where he’s from) the age of consent is 18. Should this have happened in Washington State, for example, this would not be statutory rape because the age of consent is 16.
Either way, it’s prostitution of a minor and sex trafficking which is equally reprehensible.
Anyway, semantics matter in court, but we’re just chatting.