Re: And the antagonistic battles start

Well, it depends on the child. I think when they become aware that it's against the law, that can change their perspective on the issue, but in general I agree.

I don't think so. Admitting the evidence is scant to non-existent, I think sexting proves that legality itself is not seen as a big deal. (Or joyriding. Or underage drinking. But at least sexting adds the sex itself and its taboo to the issues with legality.)

Not caring about the laws doesn't indicate a child who is sexually healthy; it could just indicate a child who doesn't understand the full consequences of what they are doing.

I have many answers to this. However I will give none, because it is not my intention to open a thread about criminology. Least of all juvenile criminology. You know what I mean, and you disagree, let's leave it at that.

I will however, take a small exception - I never referred to whether the children are, or aren't, sexually healthy. I talked about not caring about the law and I talked about disregard for laws showing they have an interest in sex. As I phrased it, you could concede they have an interest in sex, but (taking an anti position) think all such interest is itself unhealthy. My argument here was and is only at the implicitly political and legal consequences of minors having sex despite the law forbidding them from so doing; not at any "psychological" causes or consequences of it, positive or negative, alleged or real.

Even this, I maybe would pass, if it wasn't for your closing:

The child's intentions are important: why is she engaging in sex? It may not be pleasure-seeking behavior.

Irrelevant! In the context I am putting it, at least. The law cannot and should not guess the intentions of participants. That is de facto criminalizing thoughts. I certainly can agree that sex is not always the warm and fuzzy thing we desire it to be with our girls. I do not think that it is feasible or desirable to subject its legality to an examination of intentions. I would prefer nearly every other legal arrangement to that. I would even prefer blanket laws, like today, to that.

And this is why it is important to clarify that I wasn't making any statement about sexual health; only about respect for the law.