Explain Statutory Rape to Me

A good friend sent me a link to some Tennessee news outlets about the reaction in that state to the displacement of Andrew Jackson from the $20 in favor of Harriet Tubman. As one wag noted, a Democratic Administration bumped a founding father of the Democratic party in favor of a gun toting, Evangelical, Republican woman. Go figure.

There were many thoughtful pieces exploring the duality problem.  It's the Jungian thing, I am told.  In "Full Metal Jacket"  Joker, the protagonist, wears a helmet with the words "Born to Kill" scrawled over its cover and a peace button attached and when the ultimate officious officer upbraids him for this, Joker explains, "It's the Jungian thing," about the dual nature of man, both killer and lover.  

So, I was much amused to see historians wax on about how Jackson was a slave owner and a racist, who signed the law which sent native Americans on the "Trail of Tears" march to the West, but he also tried to restore the government to the common people, won the battle of New Orleans and tried to limit the power of banking.

Thrown in jail for heinous offense

As I was reading through all this, I noticed a local Tennessee story about a 26 year old wife of an assistant high school football coach who had been arrested for having a sexual affair with a 16 year old high school student, who was on the team.  The whole brouhaha over this put the principal's job at risk and the football coach resigned for unstated, but easy to imagine reasons.

What I cannot imagine, actually, is the harm done to the 16 year old boy, and I know, I know, as soon as I say this you will think: But this woman used her position of authority to maneuver this boy into a sexual relationship.  This is why we have statutory rape laws.

But no, and I know I will be accused of being a male chauvinist pig, but I really do believe we have statutory rape laws to prevent 26 year old male school teachers from having sex with 16 year old girl students.  And, in fact, 2 years later, when that girl gets to college, in many places, for reasons I'm not sure I understand, if she has an affair with a 26 year old college professor, that's okay. 

All I know is, if a reasonably good looking 26 year old woman had taken a sexual interest in me when I was 16 and offered to introduce me to the wonderful world of sex, I would not have felt violated or abused; I would have been delighted.  

But I am really asking here. I'm not being rhetorical, or snide. I really do not understand this kerfuffle. I understand I do not know all the circumstances. 

Sonny and the coach's wife

But think of "The Last Picture Show!" Nobody thought that coach's wife was guilty of statutory rape, because by the time she goes to bed with Sonny, you have great sympathy for her; you know more about her.  If anyone was hurt in that relationship, it was not Sonny, the high school boy, it was the older woman, as played achingly by Cloris Leachman.

It strikes me this is something of a piece with the Andrew Jackson problem: People are complicated, and if you have a certain sympathy for them, you might see their actions differently. It's the duality thing. 

This woman's husband made $15,000 a year as the assistant football coach at that Tennessee high school.  This may not have been "The Last Picture Show" kind of town, but I can imagine life might get pretty dreary and claustrophobic and the assistant coach's wife  may have been looking for something to help her deal with the ennui. 

As for the boy, I cannot speak for him. I supposed he might have been "damaged" by the experience. But I can't help but believe he may well have not been damaged at all and the only reason the woman was charged was because we want to be able to charge men for the same offense and we think we have to be consistent.

 Successful model, business woman.  It's the Jungian thing.

I can only speak for myself, and for about a hundred of my best high school friends--if we had that chance at age 16, we would have looked Heavenward and said, "Thank you!"

The duality of woman, thing. Serious journalist. Sex object.