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Teenage girl arrested over same-sex relationship

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57585327-504083/kaitlyn-hunt-18-charged-over-same-sex-relationship-with-15-year-old-classmate-report-says/

Do you think the action taken against her is fair? Would your opinion change if it was an 18 year old male and a 15 year old girl?

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Reply 1

Psyk

It seems a bit pointless to charge her. An 18 year old and 15 year old isn't that big a deal. A warning would have been fine.

And I don't think my opinion would be different if the genders were different. 18 and 15 isn't a huge age difference.

Reply 2

Darth Stewie

tbh as the article says this seems like the parents of the girl really are out for blood. Both parents knew about the relationship for months before any charges were brought yet they either waited until she turned 18 to report it or judging by the fact the police recorded conversations they reported it and the police waited until she was 18 so they could get her in an interrogation room on her own and get her to confess to whatever they want. She made the mistake that so many young people do, thinking the police are your friends and talking to them without a lawyer present is "ok". Seeing as the only evidence they had was a recording if a lawyer was present it is incredibly unlikely this would have ever got to this stage.

Unfortunately as she has confessed there isn't much else to do, the plea bargain is really the only sensible option. It doesn't matter if the other girl consented lewd or lascivious battery (commonly known as statutory rape) is any sexual activity with someone between the ages of 13-15. And lets keep in mind this is Florida, the judge probably hates gays as much as the other girls parents.

Reply 3

Emma122

well legally its illegal isnt it, if they are in a sexual relationship, it should not be any different if it was a sexual relationship of the opposite sex, at least i hope it would not be treated differently, but if they started the relationship before she was 18 then its difficult to decide if its wrong or not.

but it should not have anything to so with the fact they are of the same sex.

Reply 4

fluttershy

I think the worst thing was that they allowed it to continue and only persued it when she turned 18. If it was genuinly about child protection then they would have stopped it the moment it came to light. It wouldn't be the first or last case either where police have delayed prosecution for a crime until a person has turned 18 in order to get a higher punishment, which in itself asks the question of if police are more concerned about punishment or preventing crime? I suppose they can all pat themselves on the back and say they have heroically saved society from another sick child molestor though.

Reply 5

tooosh

That's ****ing disgusting. The parents are obviously trying not to face up to the fact their daughter is gay by blaming it on her girlfriend. Unfortunately entrapment law is much looser in the states.

Reply 6

Rob da Mop

Well, it's evidently illegal, but it's one of those cases where discretion should be used... Two teenagers have a relationship, one becomes an adult legally, it's still a relationship rather than abuse... A 17 year old and a 15 year old, whatever the gender, is a bit of an age gap at that age, but not an unreasonable one. When the 17 year old has a birthday, common sense says there's not really a change.

Reply 7

Emma122

Original post by doggyfizzel

Its the LGBT equivalent of playing the race card. She broke the law, and in now dealing with the consequences of breaking the law. Her sexuality plays no part in her guilt legally, even if may in the victims parents minds.

To me the age difference is irrelevant, if there girl is under age she cannot make an informed decision, if she can make informed decision it doesn't matter whether the other person is 18 or 80, its a minor with an adult. People are not uniform, but you need a legal line in the sand, otherwise every case is just going to turn into some hand wavy joke depending on how people 'feel'. "18 is not that far, neither is 19, 20 but they are pretty immature so thats okay, but what about 22?" All cases would become farcical.

i totally agree, i think it would be no different if it were a relationship with the opposite sex one girl is underage so its illegal. but as i said in my post its difficult because they may have started the relationship when the person was 17, it may not be illegal if they have not got a sexual relatioship. but i dont know the whole story so i dont know.

Reply 8

Habsburg

I think its a bit ridiculous to charge her, and if there is police entrapment, then that's obviously legally wrong.

On the other hand, at the end of the day, the law is the law, and the girl has broken it, whether her girlfriend's parents are homophobes or not. I can't help but think some of the outrage about this is more moral outrage at the fact that she is punished for being in a lesbian relationship, rather than legitimate legal outrage.

Reply 9

joey11223

More interesting though that they are both female, the older girl cannot penetrate the younger girl with a sexual organ of her own...

"As used in this section, "sexual activity" means oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by, or union with, the sexual organ of another"

Seems kind of arbitrary that a 23 year old can legally get with a 16 yr old in Florida due to some exemptions, yet an 18 yr old and a 15 year old is a crime.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 10

uktotalgamer

Can I ask why your going for the male/female argument? I thought all feminists wanted equality?

Reply 11

JodieW

Original post by uktotalgamer

Can I ask why your going for the male/female argument? I thought all feminists wanted equality?

Who are you talking to?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 12

uktotalgamer

Original post by JodieW

Who are you talking to?

Posted from TSR Mobile

The creator of the thread; which is you...

Reply 13

Skip_Snip

As far as I know it's not technically illegal for a hetero 18 year old to do "everything but" with a 15 year old? And as lesbians only do "everything but", no harm no foul.

Reply 14

JodieW

Original post by uktotalgamer

The creator of the thread; which is you...

At what point did I go for the 'male/female argument'? In fact I never explicitly said what I think about this news at all, I was simply asking everyone else. My question of ' Would your opinion change if it was an 18 year old male and a 15 year old girl?' wasn't an argument, it was me trying to find out if other people's perceptions would change if it was a slightly different situation.

Reply 15

Solemn Rain

I'm levied! Sad story :frown:

Reply 16

Solemn Rain

If I was billionaire, I would break her or hire the the best of the best lawyers in the world.

Reply 17

Psyk

Original post by Skip_Snip

As far as I know it's not technically illegal for a hetero 18 year old to do "everything but" with a 15 year old? And as lesbians only do "everything but", no harm no foul.

Don't know what the law is there, but I'd guess it makes "sexual contact" illegal in some way like it is in England and Wales. Here it is illegal for an 18 year old to do "everything but" with a 15 year old.

Reply 18

Xarren

The law is the law. She would have been aware of being in breach of the law, yet she intentionally broke the law regardless. Persons that break law with intent deserve severe sentences. It does not matter whether you agree with a law or not. The law is not a "guideline" to behaviour, its a set of agreed upon rules that a community must respect in order to ensure social well-being.

Reply 19

emobambam

Original post by JodieW

an American law hey 15 year old is legally a child.it is illegal for anyone over the age of 18 June gauge in sexual activity with a Child and America.in a lot of states in America the does not give law enforcement a choice,they had to arrest the 18 yr.old