• ImplyingImplications@lemmy.ca
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    5 months ago

    He spends a lot of time discussing why pedophilia isn’t rape.

    Of a woman having sex with a minor, he said “I wish an attractive woman had ‘abused’ me that way when I was 14.” He directly addressed child pornography by saying that “making such photos should be a crime, and is a crime, but that is no reason to prohibit possessing copies of the photos.” He defended pedophilia, in general, in saying that “there is little evidence to justify the widespread assumption that willing participation in pedophilia hurts children.”

    https://rms-open-letter.github.io/appendix

    • dogsoahC@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      I mean, in a very technical and probably unintentional way, he is right. Paedophilia is, principally, “only” the sexual attraction to minors. That does not necessarily imply actual molesting or abuse of children. And not all who molest and abuse minors are paedophiles. It might just be a matter of power/sexual repression (looking at you, clergymen). Equating the two is probably a hindrance to those struggling with these feelings coming forward and seeking psychiatric help (like drug criminalization).

      As for whether or not it is rape if an adult person has sex with a horny teenager… Maybe I wouldn’t call it “rape”, but there’s also a reason we don’t let kids sign contracts or drive cars.