Friday, May 24, 2013

On the science of human brain development

Twice now, due to my posting the story about the Lesbian Statutory Rapist, people have called the entire idea of statutory rape into question.
Turns out that while indeed there is no set age for this, there is some science behind it.
We now know the human brain doesn't stop developing for nearly twenty five years after birth, and there is a HUGE cognitive difference in understanding between a fifteen year old and an eighteen year old.
for the popularization.
for the MRI images
for the white paper
There still isn't a "magic number" that divides adulthood from childhood, the individual development of the prefrontal cortex can be complete as early as 17, as late as 25, and the bell curve centers on 21.
But it isn't just "backwater prudes" either, there actually is some science behind it. A 15 year old is incapable of consent for *very real brain development related reasons*.

And I still say a state that tries to turn seduction into rape when sex didn't occur, is ridiculous. But based on this research, so are the states that claim age of consent as young as 12.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Kaitlyn Ashley Hunt is a victim of homophobia on the part of the other girl's religious parents. Instead of taking the matter up with Kaitlin and her parents, they chose to report her to the sheriff and to turn Kaitlin into a felon for loving their daughter. This should be an interesting court case.

Theodore M. Seeber said...

You were under Cardinal Law for too long. We need Zero Tolerance on child sex abuse, regardless of who the perpetrator is

Unknown said...

Don't even go there. There is no comparison between gay lovers and clerical child abuse. None, whatsoever.

Theodore M. Seeber said...

A pretty senior cheerleader, socially popular, uses her social status to seduce a freshman? I see no difference between that and a socially popular priest using his influence to seduce a 15 year old altar server, or a 19 year old senior using his social influence to seduce a 15 year old girl. All of these we now know to be child abuse, and all should be reported to the authorities.

Unknown said...

Yeah. That sounds like felony and she sounds like a sex offender. She should go to jail for fifteen years and be registered as a sexual preditor. I see where you stand on this.

Theodore M. Seeber said...

I may have left this comment in the wrong thread:

I do not believe she deserves any worse punishment than male statutory rapists get. Quite common is probation, no fine, and registering as a sex offender the rest of their life. Which some would say- is worse than jail.

I really must google this story and read what you have read though.

Unknown said...

This case is going to draw world-wide attention. She is going to cash in on the publicity. Registering as a sex offender is a small price for her to pay for fame and fortune. The tabloids will be all over this case.

Theodore M. Seeber said...

Exactly. Far from ruining her life, she's just guaranteed $5000 an hour as a porn star- and that's after selling her story to Cable TV for either the Lifetime Channel or Oprah.

I rather doubt that was Plan A though.

Unknown said...

Yeah. This has got all the makings of a modern day folk heroine story. She's probably getting offers for book and movie rights already.

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Oustside The Asylum by Ted Seeber is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.
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