evidence for illegality as deterrence

I have suggested that age of consent laws deter rape (and other unwanted sexual contact). Some people have questioned this. Generally you don't hear about things that didn't happen. But from Margaux's VP post we do get some direct evidence:

Peter never touched Dara--even though he remarked several times on her incredible beauty--Dara was excepetional-looking with especially splendid eyes. Dara once was playing with Peter and jumped on him. He was quick to tell her to get off him and set boundaries--he was so afraid of Dara. Even though she was in the age range of girls he was attracted to, she was an assertive and physically daring individual--unlike myself at that time. I remember he said something about that despite her remarkable beauty he'd never go near because he was sure she'd blackmail him or something.

He can call it "blackmail" but at the root of the problem is the what he wanted to do with her was illegal, and if he did it he might get caught, so he didn't do it. The law deterred him.