Re: But that's the thing.

They can understand rape at 13 but not consensual sex?

Actually, that's the only way it makes sense that every contact with a 13yo is rape. They're too young to understand consensual sex but not to understand rape, so it is rape.

Now, I can only wonder the depths of intellectual dishonesty someone would have to pursue to actually make a chain of explanation of that. Does a child understand being forced to eat their veggies, before understanding eating their veggies? understand being forced to sleep, before understanding sleeping? That is a total contortion of everything called "reality".

Give youth their full rights and then they can try them as adults.

But yes, that is my issue too with how it is in RL.

I am in favor of responsibility and consequences. Always. Not just when it fits someone's personal views about what a minor should do. And a minor can very well responsible for their body and mind for a rape of another minor as they can for consensual sex with another minor or an adult. Period.