How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

All the 17 year olds I've seen have been pretty adult looking to me. Callow and unappealing, but not kids. Some of the lads that age are 6ft plus with facial hair

I'm European, the most common age of consent here is 16, with a few places at 15, and at least one at 14. I was sexual active at 16 myself, no regrets.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

If it was forced it sure was molesting

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

Perhaps if it was your parent having sex with a 17 year old you might feel differently.

your dad was a child molester by definition. or Rapist by any other name.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

You have to have an age. Ours is 18. The real trouble comes when some poor 18 year old has sex with a 17 year old and gets labeled a sexual predator.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

Perhaps in that state (wherever it happened) the age of consent is 18 and therefore anyone under that age is considered a child. Its the same in uk - our age of consent is 16 anyone under that age is considered a child. In a lot of place adulthood is 18 years.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

because legally they are not adults.

Since you have to be an adult to be considered a young adult, which is aged 18-24, then being 17 classifies you as a kid.

You can't base on someone on how they look. That's the logic of a child molester in this case.

There's a difference in being casual sexual with others your age, and allowing an adult to be casual with a kid.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

It's the law in America. Also u never know when the adult having sex with the teen may just be manipulating the teen to do it.

Also just b/c a person may be seventeen doesn't mean that person is mature enough to handle aldult issues just yet.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

When it involves a person under 18, I believe it's called statutory rape.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

They have to draw the line somewhere.

At what ages does formal schooling begin and end in your country? What's the age for driving licenses, etc. There are a lot of factors involved, most of which won't be apparent to people living elsewhere.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

Don't let looks fool you. They may look like adults, but trust me mentally they are still very much children.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

The United States is not one entity, but rather 50 states, the District of Columbia, and various territories and commonwealths. Each can issue its own laws. In some states, the age of consent is 16, others 17, and others 18. You can actually google a couple of sites that list states and their ages of concent.

We're not Europe. We have different lawmakers. We are a bit more conservative than you are. And we protect our children from adult predators perhaps a bit better than you do. You are more liberated, sexually and otherwise. If it works for you, fine. Personally, I see a 25 year old man with a 15-year-old girl to be child molestation and am happy that many American states agree with me. When it comes to a 19-year old woman with a 17-year old man or visa versa, then I would agree with you.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

Well strictly speaking the age of consent defines the age when the person stops being a child, so if the age of consent is 18 then technically a 17 year old is a minor, although I don't think many 17 year olds would enjoy being described as a child, regardless of their legal status. I agree that it's silly that in many US states someone of 18 years and 3 months having sex with someone of 17 years and 11 months would legally be viewed in exactly the same manner as a 30 year old having sex with a 12 year old.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

A seventeen year old is not considered an adult. They might be sexually mature, but they are socially immature. Certainly not old enough to be trusted to make the sort of responsible decidions adults are expected (or hoped) to make.

The crime is statutory rape, or sexual assault on a minor, not "child molestation," although that is the common term for it.

Of course there are legal adults who are immature, and minors who are more mature and responsible than their peers. You have to have a cutoff point somewhere though. The age of consent is a complicated issue, as are many aspects of sexuality in our society. So much so that we prefer that children and young adults not engage in sexual intercourse until they can start to comprehend the issues. Unfortunealty there is no legally expedience way to license sexual priviledges on an individual basis.

I would have lost my virginity at 12 if I could have managed it. It's a good thing society didn't leave it up to me. Go read some of the datying questions and answers on this forum, many of which are written by minors. It sure shows. It might be a good idea to bump up the age of consent to 21.

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

As paranoid as the adult community is in the US from the media, the women over 18 wouldn't feel like they could compete with a thin, young woman of that age.

Of course, it won't stop mothers from buying provocative clothing or dressing inappropriately so what can you really say?

How can Americans call sex with a 17 year old 'child molesting'?

Have you met a lot of 17 year old americans ..they have the brains of a 5 year old..so yes it is child molestation.