Discussion for article #237014
Funny thing about supercharged words like pedophile or statutory rape, these all depend on what the age of consent was at the time in that jurisdiction, and often it depends how much older than the subject was the perpetrator, or if there was a trust relationship or authority relationship or if it was anal.
Was it 15, 16, 17, 18? Or is it more complicated? Well, trust/authority relationship or if it was anal are both strikes that may go after Hastert in this case
Here’s a hodgepodge in Canada – don’t know if this is up to date but you will get the point.
Age of Consent for Sexual Activity
Under 12 years Consent is illegal
12 and 13 years Consent is illegal (only legal if partner is less than two years
older and not in a position of trust or authority over the
younger teen and the relationship is not exploitative)
.
14 and 15 years Consent is illegal (only legal if partner is less than five years
older and not in a position of trust or authority over the
younger teen and the relationship is not exploitative. Married
couples are also exempt)
.
16 – 18 years Consent is legal unless they are involved in exploitative
sexual activity.
Under 18 years: Anal Sex
Consent is illegal, unless in heterosexual marriage…
Illinois seems to be simple, 17 is age of consent unless you have the authority/trust relationship, when it is 18. The subject probably was not 18 or wouldn’t be complaining now. It seems like Illinois had a sodomy law until 1962…
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That’s right Larry. It would be irresponsible not to speculate.
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Helpful as a reference to current laws in one country, but probably not that detailed in the 1960’s and 1970’s in the U.S. state of Illinois. In the USA, these statutes vary wildly from state to state, and are prosecuted by the state, not the federal government unless there is an interstate element in the alleged criminal activity, (e.g.transporting a minor across state lines, etc.) Laws have become more stringent in the last 45-50 years in several but not all states. And the statutes of limitations on any alleged sexual criminal activity used to run out pretty quickly, (5-10 year or so). Since the abuses discovered regarding Catholic clergy on a wide scale, there have been efforts and passage of newer, more stringent laws passed and statutes of limitations on some sex-related crimes have also been lengthened.
That is why Hastert is charged with federal crimes related to money payments and lying to the FBI, not charged, (so far) with any alleged sexual activity with minors.
At the time- age of consent was 17 in Illinois. It has been amended to make it illegal for a teacher to have sexual relations with someone who is a student of theirs.
I am not aware of the age of “Individual A” at the time of the incident; however, I would say that I do feel that the use of the word “pedophile” is being over used. I would definitely say that Hastert acted as a sexual predator in this case, and I think what he did was not only wrong, but flat out horrible.
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Hastert: Duggar from another mother.
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the age of consent at the time 17, unless sex with an authority figure and then the age is 18. Chances are about 99% that the boy was under 18 in high school and the word “pedophile” is not overused as you state yourself Denny was a sexual abuser AKA pedophile.
Okay…part of the problem here is that a pedophile really is someone who targets a person under the age of 12. And ephebophile is someone who targets a person between 12 and age of consent (which I believe should be 18 across the board). The fact that Hastert was/is a sexual predator preying on those under his power does not necessarily mean he is a pedophile- but it doesn’t make anything he did less creepy or wrong.
I know a lot of people tend to broaden the whole definition of pedophile to as broad a possible definition as they can, but I tend to prefer to keep it to the narrower definitions. There’s a lot of issues that are involved in this that get glossed over when we include 17 year olds in the mix.
Unless Hastert is shown to have preyed on children and not teens and young adults, I balk at calling him a pedophile- but I don’t balk at saying what he did was horrifying and that he is scum.
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Dude, he’s a Pederast…
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That works too. . .most people probably have no idea that the word even exists (ran across it in Small Gods by Terry Pratchett).