Phil’s Diary - [Blog @ http://www.philsdiary.net/]
Just yesterday Ruth posted a bit about the case of the 15year old running away with a Police officer. This article mentions some of the background as well as mentioning that they’ve both been found safe and well.
A day or two ago Bob Thompson posted some comments on an article about a Teacher charged with sexually assaulting a 15year old pupil.
Although the posts are not about the same case, I think I’ve reasonably correctly drawn the following conclusions correctly (both authors may of course disagree):
Bob thinks that sex/a sexual relationship with anyone past puberty is fine. Ruth, however, thinks the opposite, in the case where one of the parties is an adult.
Now obviously I’m biased, but I tend to side with Ruth. I can agree with what Bob is saying, that at 15 I’d probably have been thinking how lucky I was. However what Bob seems to only just touch on is the consequences of such actions. As a 15 year old I only had a vague notion of what could come about if things went wrong. More to the point although I might have been aware of the immediate consequences, I had very little understanding of what long-term problems they might cause.
This is one of the factors that make such a relationship problematical. One of the parties is probably unaware of what their actions could lead to.
The second problem I have with Bob’s scenario is the balance of power. The teacher is likely to have some authority over the child. Also, as an adult and teacher in authority they’re likely to have a reasonable amount of persuasive power (they say it’s right, so it is). With that in mind it’s reasonable to assume that any advances made by the teacher would/could have had a reasonable amount of unfair power/pressure added.
So the teenage may be unaware of the long-term consequences, and has more than their fare share of pressure being applied to them. And that’s where I have a problem, and side with Ruth.
Someone in a position of responsibility, who because of that position is looked upon as an authority and as “right” by a teenage/child (or even adult), shouldn’t be abusing that power. Secondly when you’re fully aware of the consequences of your actions, it’s unfair to take advantage of someone who doesn’t.
What Ruth did mention in passing was that a similar relationship among piers of the same age however was ok.
I’ve not thought this through quite as fully, but it does remove both of the arguments I’ve formed. First it’s unlikely that either party will have a position of authority to abuse, and secondly both parties are likely to have a similar understanding and knowledge of the consequences.
This is where Bob’s education comes in. So that while both parties have the same knowledge, they have more than enough to make appropriate choices.
So in short I can see how Bob’s 15 year old would be happy in the short term. But I disagree with him; I think the teacher was very wrong to abuse their position. In the same way, the Police officer involved in the article Ruth discussed should also not have done what he did.
Posted by Phil on March 04, 2003 06:57 AM | Categories: Thoughts
{snip}What Ruth did mention in passing was that a similar relationship among piers of the same age however was ok. {/snip}
So two ancient viaducts are OK, and two modern bridges are OK, but not viaduct miscegenating with modern bridge??? :~}
/Mike
Posted by: Mike at March 4, 2003 9:54 PM
While I don't doubt Bob's reaction would be different (and indeed, how the sex drive of a 15yr old male is different from that of a female), I'm pretty certain there's no differences is in the right or wrong (if both parties are consenting). The balance of power is still shifted, and male or female the consequences are similar. Obviously a 15year old boy isn't going to get pregnant. But if his teacher does, and decides to keep the baby, then he will have to live with those consequences just as much as a 15 year old female (granted in a different way though).
Anyhow, that's just how I think :)
Posted by: Phil at March 4, 2003 10:28 AM
The cases are different in that what Bob talks about is a boy having sex with his teacher. I think he would react completely different if a male teacher had abused a female pupil.
Posted by: sjon at March 4, 2003 10:22 AM