Re: Sibling Sexual Abuse

[Larry Wagoner <wagonerl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At about 05:07 PM 12/18/01 -0800, John M Price PhD said:
>On Fri, 14 Dec 2001, Rob Newell wrote:
>Children are indeed capable of saying that they want or don't want a
>particular haircut, dinner vegatable, part in a play, or to be involved in
>games.  That we don't have laws demanding fully informed legal consent for
>these activities should not negate the fact that the kids wanted to do it
>or not.  That same rule should apply here.


Mr. Price, this argument flies in the face of the evidence that we have 
that in fact, children are not only not legally competent to make such 
decisions, but they are emotionally, socially, economically, and in every 
other reasonable construct also incapable of doing so.

There is, in my view, a world of difference between a child saying they 
want to play a game and consenting to sexual behaviors, especially with an 
adult - where there is an unarguable inequality in the relationship and 
responsibility.  That is why sexual contact between an adult and a child is 
defined as a felony offense in all 50 states - and appropriately so.


Larry Wagoner