• rosymind
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      1 year ago

      She was 16, so yeah, he’s right: he was banging a child.

      Even if he isn’t convicted of the others (one was treated at a clinic after the assault) dating a 16 year old when you’re 30 is gonna get you some time.

      Assuming this is all true (I do believe them, but it’s up to judge/jury to decide) but he somehow manages to get out of this, his reputation is in the toilet

      • NuPNuA@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        It’s creepy and abusive as fuck so I don’t say this out of any great desire to defend him, but that girl is of legal age in the UK, so by our standards he isn’t a nonce, legally speaking.

      • AreaSIX @lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        16 is above the age of consent in the UK as far as I know, so the issue wouldn’t be the dating of a sixteen year old, it’d be the apparent rampant rapes and assaults regardless of age.

        • arefx@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          Not to dog on the UK but maybe they should raise that a little, it’s incredibly easy for an adult to take advantage of a 16 year old, not even just sexually.

          • Nath@aussie.zone
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            1 year ago

            I think it’s actually the USA who has an unusually high age of consent. Most of us have an age of consent of 16 and a drinking age of 18.

            I don’t exactly think we should raise it, but I sure wouldn’t be against a Romeo and Juliet style amendment. I remember dating an 18 year old when I was 21, and that felt like a big gap. I can’t begin to imagine 16 to 30+. Though that wouldn’t be illegal here either^*.

            * We have exceptions if the older person is in a position of trust like a teacher, coach etc. Then it’s illegal.

        • rosymind
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          1 year ago

          Yeah, I’m American and we tend to think the world and laws revolve around us. My bad! (Still 16 and 30 tho…)

      • Doorbook@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The thing is, if this happens 4 times, most likely there are more who might speak up. The thing with these victims, in many cases, they think they are the only one. Knowing there might be others, would increase the chances of them to go public with their experience which might be even worse.