Gaming News, Cthulhu, Sex Crimes

[tcpip]

Recently read from the beginning to the current issue; The Order of the Stick, one of the funniest pieces of work from gamer culture. Roleplaying reviews this week included RuneQuest (3rd ed) and a very old Traveller module, Chamax and The Horde. Played some Traveller: The New Era on Tuesday and Dungeon! Dragonlords Dreamland scenerio went very well except for a very strange visitor.

Last night attended the arthouse film gathering in Collingwood with the usual suspects (Brendan, 2600AU crew, Paul from Polyester). Gorged ourselves at "The New Raffles" (opposite The Tote) and then watched three H.P. Lovecraft inspired films, including "The Call of Cthulhu", a 2005 film in a 1920s style, the very cheesy From Beyond and Dagon. On a related note, fishermen in New Zealand have caught a half-tonne squid. Ry'leh is nearby you know...I-ai! I-ai! Cthulhu, Ftan'g!

The war against youth marches on; a 13 year old in Italy gets pregnant to her 15 year old boyfriend. Her parents and the courts force her to have an abortion (link in Italian). A couple (one 16 the other 17) exchange sexual images of themselves to each other. They are charged and convicted of child pornography (from erudito. In good ol Denver, a 13 year old girl has been charged as both offender and victim for having sex with her 12 year old boyfriend.

Comments

[cluebyfour.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's not what the law is saying, which is why there is a separate code for juveniles in the first place. (Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant by "criminal convictions".) A better term, I guess, is delinquency. Committing a crime as a juvenile is not the same as committing the same crime as an adult. The juvenile code is geared more towards diversion than incarceration.

There are exceptions, as I mentioned; juveniles can be tried as adults if certain conditions are met.

The Utah law is a quirk, though. Note that there's nothing illegal about 16 and 17 year-olds having sex with each other. And 14 and 15 year olds having sex in their own age group is a misdemeanor. Obviously the law was intended to make it a felony for adults to have sex with 12 and 13-year olds. And I'm also pretty sure that in Utah, this was aimed at stopping polygamists from taking child brides.

The prosecutor is entirely to blame here. He's following the letter of the law but clearly not its spirit. These two kids should not be charged with a crime.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's not what the law is saying, which is why there is a separate code for juveniles in the first place.

Oh OK then.. I just thought things were even more weird in the US than my general impression is.

[seriouspaul.livejournal.com]

Oh they are. Despite how he makes this sound, it really isn't based in logic or common sense. And often the law is twisted to serve the purposes of an individual or a group of individuals.

I'm all about letting communities set their own standards, but having spent the last seven years watching how we lock people up first hand I can say that laws concerning sex, and age of consent are amongst the most confusing for society.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the famous "patchwork quilt" method; because it makes so much sense to have different laws for sexual behaviour in different states.

[seriouspaul.livejournal.com]

Like I said don't get me wrong, I do think there is a place for community standards. The problem, as always, is where to draw the lines. And who draws them.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I do think there is a place for community standards.

Sure, but never to the point where they override universal values.

[seriouspaul.livejournal.com]

Again the problem is who determines what Universal Values are? I guarantee you that I don't see them they same as you do. I think instead of universal values I'd say societally accepted values.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Again the problem is who determines what Universal Values are?

Use universal reciprocity; informed consent between freely acting adults with adult reasoning is noone else's business.

[seriouspaul.livejournal.com]

As long as you realize just what you're saying here, I'd be all for it. I am assuming that you're much smarter than I am, and understand even better than I do just what you've said really means in the world we live in.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

really means in the world we live in

Unfortunately the ideal is not the reality. There is many, many instances in legal code where someone decides it is their business to intervene. Some of which arises a side-effect of disparities in political economy (e.g., taxation of labour). Some because others are inspired by how they think others should behave (e.g., various religious-based laws); and so on, and so forth...