Comments on: Young love

By: pavel

pavel — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:17:03 +0000

Ouch, I thought the age of consent is 14-15 in the civilised world (like Germany, Estonia, Italy, France, Russia before 2003): it is just wrong to make it illegal for a 14-15 years old boy/girl, who earns enough to buy condoms to have sex with his/her 1-2-3-4-5-10-20 years older boy/girlfriend! It is not always about 14-15 years old girls and 30 years old male-teachers, after all young people can have interests other then school – but here it is the usual “one law fits all”, which also hits the poor: a 30 y.o. school teacher earns enough to travel with his 15 y.o. girlfriend to have sex in France, but what are the chances for a 15 y.o. boy to earn that much or have a well-earning girlfriend? Of course one can suggest “to wait”, but what the girlfriend decides to choose an older partner?
And poor immigrants from Iceland, where the average age of first sex is 15.6 years, they’d have to wait in the UK for 5 months!

By: jameshigham

jameshigham — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:51:06 +0000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia

Never heard that one before. Live and learn.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:56:38 +0000

I totally agree with you Incunabulum.

My thanks to misanthrope girl for a more balanced view of this mess than one is likely to see.

By: MicroBalrog

MicroBalrog — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 04:44:33 +0000

It fascinates me with what fastidiousness those discussing some kind of ‘forbidden relationship’ in the press avoid using the word ‘love’ in its context.

Consider the possibility – not distant, but so far confirmed by what we know they wrote and said about their feelings – that, at least for a while, Megan Stammers and Jeremy Forrest were in love with each other – perhaps loved each other. Mere libido could be sated by having an affair in secrecy – but perhaps, just perhaps, they were for a while in love.

That could explain some of this behavior.

Still I am perplexed: what did they expect to achieve by running away? Did Forrest not realize he’d be eventually tracked down?

By: Misanthrope Girl

Misanthrope Girl — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 12:33:20 +0000

Thanks. Apologies for the delay in this appearing but it got caught in the spam filter.

By: Gildas

Gildas — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:25:14 +0000

Indeed. a thoughtful post. These cases are not black and white, and the French response was and is, I think interesting. C’est la vie. I understand that the sometimes laid back Gallic plod can move with ruthless efficiency when the need arises, and monitor hotels, boarding houses and so forth with a keen eye. One can but wander if they did not take a somewhat sceptical approach to the Daily Mail type hue and cry of their Anglo Saxon neighbours!

By: Misanthrope Girl

Misanthrope Girl — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:24:25 +0000

Thank you kindly M. Raccoon. High praise indeed!

By: Misanthrope Girl

Misanthrope Girl — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:22:44 +0000

Indeed not. It is though treated more harshly these days – at least in part I suspect as response to the ‘peado-panic’ hysteria which has held sway for many years now.

By: Misanthrope Girl

Misanthrope Girl — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:20:21 +0000

Aside from the breach of trust, their other ‘crime’ is a ridiculous lack of common sense in failing to keep the relationship, if not secret, then low key. That was asking for trouble. Eloping just compounded the error as it gives the authorities the ability to throw the book at him rather than just suggesting that he should quit teaching and find another line of employment.

By: Anna Raccoon

Anna Raccoon — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 08:59:33 +0000

Excellent post Clarissa, had I read it first, I might not have bothered with my own…