Rape: Sex Offenders Essay, Research Paper

Does Age Really Matter?

I recently found an alarming fact while browsing through a magazine. An article in PEOPLE magazine told of an 18 year old boy impregnating his 15 year old girlfriend. This was not the alarming part, however. The alarming part was when I read that the boy was charged with statutory rape and could face up to 5 years in a state penitentiary. In his state, Nebraska, the age of consent is 16, so yes, the boy did break the law. But honestly, should this young man’s life be ruined because he had sex with his girlfriend. Not only was this not a one night stand, but the two have gone out for three years now. Obviously they are dedicated to each other and love each other quite enormously. The two have decided to keep the child and possibly marry each other after she graduates, but their plans may be ruined. The boy will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, no matter if he serves any jail time or not.

The craziest thing about this law, is that the age of consent is different from state to state. I guess what our government is saying, is that people mature at different ages in different states. In some states the minimum age is 14, while in others it is 18. Then, they have laws in some areas of our country so that it is legal to have sex when you are 14, but only if you are married to your lover. So again, I guess people are mature enough to make a life-long commitment, but not mature enough to engage in sexual intercourse. Many of our fellow countrymen, as do I, feel that legal action should only be taken if the victims parents wish to file charges. The fact is that this law does not go along with our society and this day in time. Some changes need to be made.

The views on this subject differ quite enormously. This article is not to say that 20 year olds should be able to have sex with 10 year olds, but the current laws need to be amended to fit today’s world. Parents should be able to take action if desired, but charges should not be automatically filed. All this article is saying is that innocent boys and girls are being regarded as sex offenders because they let in to hormones and temptations. Come on folks, we need to take a stand.