How can people claim that this 15 year old kid did not know what he was doing, yet we lock away teen murderers every day in the US?

Where is the line drawn?

There is a reason that there is a legal age attributed to being a minor.

The brain is not finished developing- not by a long shot. And the specific areas that will most grow and develop are the decision-making and rational though centers.

A 15 yr old does not legally know what s/he is doing because in reality.... s/he doesn't!

No matter what your values around independence/sexuality and maturity, some kids are further advanced than others in these areas... and it's still not legal for them.

Should Clash still have his job?

WTF is wrong with people? Why is it that whenever it's a sexual crime, people blame the victim? Whether it's "legitimate rape" or "merely" statutory rape, there is one person who is the perp, and one who is the victim. No shades of grey. Underage is underage.

I feel bad for Clash. He obviously has a problem. He needs help. But he also committed a crime - if indeed the victim was under the legal age of consent.

There is a reason there IS a legal age of consent. The line has to be drawn somewhere. The adults are the ones reponsible for obeying the law.

oh OK

b/c being an ephebophile is more acceptable . . .



It's not OK for any adult to take advantage of a kid.

And while many of us keep lines of communication open with our own kids - b/c our households are not dysfunctional - there ARE kids growing up poor and/or abused who ARE vulnerable. Furthermore, kids confused about their own sexuality are targets, too.

ephebophile
pedophile

Who the fuck cares? If this were YOUR kid, I doubt you'd be consulting your manual you purchased for abnormal psych class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/elmo-resigns-new-accusations-article-1.1205034

According to the suit, Clash met a then 15-year-old Cecil Singleton on a gay chat line in 2003 and soon began wooing the youngster — taking him to dinner and giving the youth money.

“As a 15-year-old child, Cecil Singleton was not emotionally or psychologically prepared for a sexual relationship with a grown man in his 40s,” the suit said.


gross

It also says that only after the relationship began that Singleton admitted that he was underage. He didn't realize that Clash was famous and/or rich at the time.

Is he feeling differently now that he realize he can get some $$$? Where were his parents when he was trolling chat sites setting up dates as a minor?

Look, PP, I get that. But as an adult you'd THINK you'd be a tad bit smarter than Clash was. While a 14 yo can look 20, it's still not wise for some 40 yo to take up with someone THAT much younger.

What if he were your kid?

And while I can "overlook" the first incident, accepting the belief that Clash was duped, I can't get past the second incident where the kid claims he was 15 and being wooed.

Gay is gay.

Being a pedophile, however, is a whole different beast. Dude's not gay; dude's a predator.

Technically he's not a pedophile. Pedophiles only want undeveloped children.

Get out from your cave and do your research.

not true

They have a preference. Usually, they are stuck at the age at which they, too, were molested.

So you're defending him?

scary

Actually, I'm not defending him. He's still gross and creepy but he's not a pedophile he's an Ephebophile.

Primary adult sexual attraction to prepubescent children (DSM-IV: Over a period of at least six months, recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children)

Ephebophilia is the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I hope my child isn't stupid enough to go trolling the net looking for sex from some old pervert. I don't expect my 15 year old to have the intelligence of an 8 year old. That's why there are so many 30 year olds acting like 17 year olds. Grow up. Kevin is a perv and the boy had sex willingly. Don't try to pretend that a few months (as far as legal cut off for consent) makes a huge difference. If you are old enough to consent at 16 or 17, then you are old enough to say "get that dick away from me" at 15.

I teach high school, and I am sickened by all the assholes claiming that a 15 yo knows better. We're not dying at 40. So 20 is no longer "middle age." A 15 yo is still a kid in our society. And predators find vulnerable kids b/c they're easy targets.

Who knows if the boy was abused before? If so, he's "broken" and confused.

By these responses, I wonder why some of you had kids at all - to throw them to the dogs when they become teens?

absolutely disturbing

No one forced him. He was 15 for goodness sake!!! I don't know the details, but unless he was somewhat in a disadvantaged situation such as poverty, abuse by his parents, etc, I would think a 15y old could pretty much decide for himself is he/she wants to be sexual active or not. Yes, it is gross and it is illegal (criminally), but that wouldn't make me give him one cent if I was in that jury.

Same if it was a girl or even my daughter!

Why shouldn't he get compensated. Clash is a predatory creep.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't matter if the defendant knew the actual age of the victim or what the victim did or didn't do. It's statutory rape.

Exactly.

Regardless of whether it is right or not for the victim to seek damages it was statutory rape and it was wrong. And the double standard with male and female victims is a major reason why so many male victims never seek help.

He is not a victim of anything but being broke and wanting a paycheck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/elmo-resigns-new-accusations-article-1.1205034

According to the suit, Clash met a then 15-year-old Cecil Singleton on a gay chat line in 2003 and soon began wooing the youngster — taking him to dinner and giving the youth money.

“As a 15-year-old child, Cecil Singleton was not emotionally or psychologically prepared for a sexual relationship with a grown man in his 40s,” the suit said.


gross

It also says that only after the relationship began that Singleton admitted that he was underage. He didn't realize that Clash was famous and/or rich at the time.

Is he feeling differently now that he realize he can get some $$$? Where were his parents when he was trolling chat sites setting up dates as a minor?

Look, PP, I get that. But as an adult you'd THINK you'd be a tad bit smarter than Clash was. While a 14 yo can look 20, it's still not wise for some 40 yo to take up with someone THAT much younger.

What if he were your kid?

And while I can "overlook" the first incident, accepting the belief that Clash was duped, I can't get past the second incident where the kid claims he was 15 and being wooed.

Gay is gay.

Being a pedophile, however, is a whole different beast. Dude's not gay; dude's a predator.

Technically he's not a pedophile. Pedophiles only want undeveloped children.

Get out from your cave and do your research.

not true

They have a preference. Usually, they are stuck at the age at which they, too, were molested.

So you're defending him?

scary

Actually, I'm not defending him. He's still gross and creepy but he's not a pedophile he's an Ephebophile.

Primary adult sexual attraction to prepubescent children (DSM-IV: Over a period of at least six months, recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children)

Ephebophilia is the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19

Yeah, look at Mary Kay Letourneau. Total sexual predator who took advantage of troubled young boy. Something very f'ed up with that woman.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who are insistent that its the fault of the victim - would you be thinking differently if it was a 15 year old girl and a 40 year old man?

Who said anything about fault. It was consensual sex. 15 is old enough to know you shouldn't have sex, let alone with a 40 year old. If you choose to do so, and you were not forced....move on with your life. You regret it? Ok, go to therapy. Blame your parents for not watching you carefully and for not raising you to have some sense. Now if you were FORCED then that is different.

it's not that simple. 15 year olds are still kids, there is a power deferential here at play.

Anonymous wrote:I think Romney went after the wrong Muppet.

What a creep.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't matter if the defendant knew the actual age of the victim or what the victim did or didn't do. It's statutory rape.

Exactly.

Regardless of whether it is right or not for the victim to seek damages it was statutory rape and it was wrong. And the double standard with male and female victims is a major reason why so many male victims never seek help.

Doesn't matter if the defendant knew the actual age of the victim or what the victim did or didn't do. It's statutory rape.