Suppose a 17-year-old male was in a sexual relationship with a female in her thirties. This is a willing relationship on both sides, perhaps even a relationship begun by the male. Now, if the genders were reversed and the male was the older member of the couple, the relationship would be considered sexual assault, pure and simple. But, in a situation with an older woman/younger man:

1. what do you think could or should be done? Anything?

2.Should the woman be prosecuted in this case? Should the young man (a willing participant) be considered as an adult, or as still under-aged?

Think again about the scenario as it stands, and then as it would be with reversed gender roles.

Did your opinions change from one to the other, and if so, how? Is this a double standard?

 

Sexual Relationship

1. What do you think could or should be done? Anything?

Yes, something should be done. According to Kramer (2017), younger boys have fantasies to experience sexual relationships with older, mature, and experienced women (Kramer, 2017). However, the case study shows a case of statutory rape. Male victims of statutory rape normally experience feelings of shame and low self-esteem. The teenage boy will have similar problems with being able to set boundaries with others and negatively impact the capability to participate in successful adult relationships.

2.Should the woman be prosecuted in this case? Should the young man (a willing participant) be considered as an adult, or as still under-aged?

In some states, an individual is not considered an adult until they are eighteen years of age. Therefore, the woman could be legally liable because of engaging in a sexual relationship with an underage individual- statutory rape legislation. In this case, the young man may have entered the relationship willingly. However, child psychiatrists and psychologists emphasize that many adolescent boys fantasize about sexual intercourse with older experienced women. Still, there is a significant difference between dreaming it and encountering it willingly or unwillingly (Kramer, 2017).

The statutory rape legislation makes it unlawful for an individual to have sexual contact with a younger individual – younger than the consent age set by the law in each state (Pirius, n.d.). Every state has enacted gender-neutral language to suggest the laws imply that both females and males can be held legally responsible for statutory rape. However, gender neutrality might not necessarily mean gender equality. The prosecutor is the decision-maker in criminal cases and decides who should be held responsible. While the language in the statutory rape legislation provided novel protection for male victims, the prosecutors decide who to indict. Arguably, it could end with which victim could suffer the most (the females who get pregnant) or which youngster’s parent called the law enforcement first. Such discretion provided to the prosecutors raises the debate on whether neutrality is similar to equality in the laws. Additionally, statutory rape is also a strict liability offense, meaning there is no need to prove that defendants were aware that the victim was underage (Pirius, n.d.). The prosecutor needs only to provide proof that the defendant and the underage individual had sexual contact. It does not matter whether the sexual partner agreed or looked or claimed to be of age.

3. Think again about the scenario as it stands, and then as it would be with reversed gender roles. Did your opinions change from one to the other, and if so, how? Is this a double standard?

As described above, male adolescents fantasizing about having sex with older mature ladies and actualizing the fantasy was a fact. In my opinion, the 17-year-old boy would be praised by his peers for getting such a “woman.” The government only recently codified the woman/boy versus man/girl relationships. All fifty states introduced gender neutrality on the legislation of statutory rape. But before them, women perpetrators rarely faced any punishment (Larson, 2013). It is not the case for a man/girl sexual relationship, which I consider sexual abuse. Larson (2013) also explains that the older woman is mostly mentally challenged while the older man is similar to an abusive predator. These languages form an opinion that ensures limitations of gender-based traditional roles where the older woman is trying to get love. In contrast, the older man is a sexual aggressor whose behavior must be excoriated.

OUTLINE

1. what do you think could or should be done? Anything?

2.Should the woman be prosecuted in this case? Should the young man (a willing participant) be considered as an adult, or as still under-aged?

Think again about the scenario as it stands, and then as it would be with reversed gender roles.

Did your opinions change from one to the other, and if so, how? Is this a double standard?