I kinda get what you're saying, but I have to disagree. You say that in some cultures it is normal for a 12 year old to marry or have a relationship with someone much older (like a 24 or 30 year old), but have you also considered how these cultures view women? Most of these cultures don't consider females as equals (in fact, most treat women more like property than people) and so are much more willing and accepting of sending off their 12 year old daughter to be "married" off to some 30 year old. I know of no culture where a 12 year old boy being sent off to marry a 30 year old woman is accepted. Oh, and these same cultures would probably have you killed, castrated or tortured (they would call it "reformed") if you were homosexual. By condoning this relationship under the argument that it's acceptable in other cultures, you are also tacitly approving of how these cultures treat/view their women, and although some people may be ok with that, I will have to dissent on that opinion.

Another factor to consider is this: what if the guy is, in fact, a pedophile?
Now, I haven't seen or read any evidence that he is, but I haven't seen or read any evidence that he's not. That is the risk in this relationship, a risk that I don't think the 12 year old is fully able to comprehend. I don't think I need to go into why a 12 year old being in a relationship with a 24 year old pedophile is a bad thing.

I specifically mentioned Aboriginal culture in Australia; they don't treat women as inferior or do they torture homosexuals.

Have you read the non-fiction book "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang? The author's grandfather had to marry at 14 years of age.


I could ask the same thing about any relationship. Anybody of any age could be a potential paedophile. Paedophilia is not limited to people over 18.

Which brings me back to my original point; what is the difference between her dating a guy of the same age and a guy who is 24 year old? Absolutely nothing.

Any sort of relationship could harm her physically and emotionally. It's not about age; it's about each individual.

Just let it the argument go, it is pointless when you both sides will never admit defeat.

Yeah, I'm gonna drop this argument. It's too much of an emotional issue rather than a cognitive one, so arguing about it is pointless, there's no right answer and we'll both be adamant we are right, because it's how we feel, rather than because we have a better argument.
So let's just agree to disagree heh.

But I will put in a final closing argument:

I don't know enough about the aborigines to argue one way or the other and I'll take your word for it, but I do know enough about other cultures where child brides are/were common (Pashtuns or Afghans, Bedouins, Sikh, etc.) and they are very repressive of women, in fact it seems that child brides and repressed women seem to go hand in hand. I took a class in human trafficking so maybe my views are a bit skewed.

You are right in that pedophilia is not limited to those over 18, but when someone over 18 is "romantically" interested in someone under 14 (generally the age when girls have developed enough to have "sex appeal"), then you have to wonder... In fact, I should say by the time someone has reached puberty if they find themselves sexually attracted to girls that haven't "developed" yet, I would start getting worried.
Pedophilia is by current definition a psychiatric disorder and it manifests after someone has sexually matured to some degree, I believe around 16 or older. You ask what's the difference between a 12 year old dating a 12 year old vs a 24 year old? RISK. When I was around 12 I had a girlfriend also around the same age - sex wasn't even a consideration, hell, I thought kissing was "yucky" and we never even kissed. But we held hands and played together often, because at that time that's what I considered as having "romantic" relationship. Chances are, if two 12 year olds are dating, the guy isn't going to be a pedophile. If the guy is still trying to date 12 year olds when he's 16, then yes, he probably is. When a 24 year old is dating a 12 year old, chances are much higher that he is a pedophile than if he were a 12 year old, which means that the chance that he's going to want to advance the relationship to a sexual one is also much higher.

Also, I haven't read "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang, is it any good? I think I'll look into reading it. I was going to write another blurb about "marriages of economic convenience" and such, but I'm not gonna bother, it would be going way off topic.

I'll have to agree with antx0r and I'll add that what's concerning about a 12 year old dating a 24 year old isn't just the risk to her but also her ability to protect/defend herself against that risk. In my opinion you do not expose someone to a risk when you know it's highly likely that person is unable to manage that risk.

bitch please, age doesn't matter.. as long as they love each other(and the guy doesn't do indecent stuff to the girl), it's great~ besides, i also heard about 17-year difference(sucks, but it's just from a manga but meh), so i wasn't really that surprised

i think she might have regrets later on when she's older

she'll be able to afford therapy

To quote my friend:

"She prolly don't know no better."

And I concur.

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

EDIT: Than again, that was said by mark twain and he wrote a book about a middle aged blackman running away witha little kid.

Uhm. 12 year difference is a bit .. Ugh. If she was 24, and he was 36 that would be "normal", but not the age of 12 and 24. That would be like me hitting on my 6 year old sisters boyfriends. NOT HAPPENING.

You just said what I wanted to say. *nods*

It wouldn't be so wrong if she were older, like, a late, or even mid-teen.
But since she's 12 years old, and not even a teenager.... and therefore really not old enough to be in 'love' ....


"Why don't you take a seat over there?"

Dude, I'm sure she doesn't even have the mental capacity of an adult. People at that age are just not mature enough physically and mentally. She is still in a very vulnerable state where she can get easily manipulated into thinking she is in love.

messed up