Changes

England's statutory rape laws, first enacted in 1275, originally protected females under the age of 12. In 1576, during the reign of Elizabeth I, the protected class was reduced to females under the age of ten. In the United States, many states had ages of consent as low as 10 or 12 until the late 19th century. The statutory rape victim's being unchaste, promiscuous, or not a virgin was codified as a defense in every state, since the goal of the law was to protect premarital chastity. These laws were raised to at least 14 in most states by 1920, and made sex neutral later.

England's statutory rape laws, first enacted in 1275, originally protected females under the age of 12. In 1576, during the reign of Elizabeth I, the protected class was reduced to females under the age of ten. In the United States, many states had ages of consent as low as 10 or 12 until the late 19th century. The statutory rape victim's being unchaste, promiscuous, or not a virgin was codified as a defense in every state, since the goal of the law was to protect premarital chastity. These laws were raised to at least 14 in most states by 1920, and made sex neutral later.

U.S. Federal law currently criminalizes [[prostitution]] of people under 18 and [[pornography involving minors]]. 18 U.S. Code § 2243 criminalizes sexual acts with persons under the age of 16 who are at least four years younger than the defendant if the acts involve transaction between state lines.<ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2243</ref> 18 U.S. Code § 2241 criminalizes sexual acts, or crossing a state line with the intent to commit sexual acts, with a person under the age of 12 as "aggravated sexual abuse" without regard to the age of the defendant.<ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2241</ref>

U.S. Federal law currently criminalizes [[prostitution]] of people under 18 and [[pornography involving minors]]. 18 U.S. Code § 2243 criminalizes sexual acts with persons under the age of 16 who are at least four years younger than the defendant if the acts involve transaction between state lines.<ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2243</ref> 18 U.S. Code § 2241 criminalizes sexual acts, or crossing a state line with the intent to commit sexual acts, with a person under the age of 12 as "aggravated sexual abuse" without regard to the age of the defendant.<ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2241</ref>

In the United States in the early twentieth century, the age of consent was generally 10-12. But it had been raised to at least 14 in almost every state by 1930. <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 15, 1895|title=[[:s:The_New_York_Times/1895/10/15/Purity_Congress_Meets|PURITY CONGRESS MEETS; A Great Gathering for Moral Work in the City of Baltimore. AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE MOVEMENT Determined to Prevent State Regulation of Vice and to Rescue Fallen Men and Fallen Women.]]|location=BALTIMORE, Oct. 14.}}</ref>

In the United States in the early twentieth century, the age of consent was generally 10-12. But it had been raised to at least 14 in almost every state by 1930.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 15, 1895|title=[[:s:The_New_York_Times/1895/10/15/Purity_Congress_Meets|PURITY CONGRESS MEETS; A Great Gathering for Moral Work in the City of Baltimore. AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE MOVEMENT Determined to Prevent State Regulation of Vice and to Rescue Fallen Men and Fallen Women.]]|location=BALTIMORE, Oct. 14.}}</ref>

==Age of consent in law==

==Age of consent in law==

==Activities by leftists and homosexual interest groups to lower the age of sexual consent==

==Activities by leftists and homosexual interest groups to lower the age of sexual consent==

Steve Baldwin notes, "Homosexual leaders repeatedly argue for the freedom to engage in consensual sex with children, and blind surveys reveal a shockingly high number of homosexuals admit to sexual contact with minors."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sdn.altervista.org/ensis/Pedophilia_And_The_Homosexual_Movement.php|title=Pedophilia and the Homosexual Movement|author=Baldwin, Steve|publisher=ensis wiki}}</ref> According to political scientist Harris Mirkin, "Though pedophile organizations were originally a part of the gay/lesbian coalition, gay organizations distance themselves from pedophile organizations in the same way as feminist leaders sought to separate themselves from lesbians."<ref>{{cite journal|author=Mirkin, Harris|date=1999|title=The Pattern of Sexual Politics: Feminism, Homosexuality and Pedophilia|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10207822|journal=Journal of Homosexuality|volume=37|number=2|pages=1-24|doi=10.1300/J082v37n02_01}}</ref> As part of this distancing, some gay rights groups have encouraged the terminology "male-male molestation" be used in place of "homosexual molestation".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_molestation.html|title=Facts About Homosexuality and Child Molestation|author=Herek, Gregory|publisher=University of California}}</ref>

Steve Baldwin notes, "Homosexual leaders repeatedly argue for the freedom to engage in consensual sex with children, and blind surveys reveal a shockingly high number of homosexuals admit to sexual contact with minors."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sdn.altervista.org/ensis/Pedophilia_And_The_Homosexual_Movement.php|title=Pedophilia and the Homosexual Movement|author=Baldwin, Steve|publisher=ensis wiki}}</ref> According to political scientist Harris Mirkin, "Though pedophile organizations were originally a part of the gay/lesbian coalition, gay organizations distance themselves from pedophile organizations in the same way as feminist leaders sought to separate themselves from lesbians."<ref>{{cite journal|author=Mirkin, Harris|date=1999|title=The Pattern of Sexual Politics: Feminism, Homosexuality and Pedophilia|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10207822|journal=Journal of Homosexuality|volume=37|number=2|pages=1–24|doi=10.1300/J082v37n02_01}}</ref> As part of this distancing, some gay rights groups have encouraged the terminology "male-male molestation" be used in place of "homosexual molestation".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_molestation.html|title=Facts About Homosexuality and Child Molestation|author=Herek, Gregory|publisher=University of California}}</ref>

However, there have occasionally been signs of a backlash within the movement against crackdowns on pedophilia activists. In 1996, after the North American Man Boy Love Association and two similar European groups were expelled from the International Gay and Lesbian Alliance in order to satisfy the [[United Nations]] requirements for granting consultative status, intense internal pressure from ILGA's member organizations nonetheless impelled ILGA to drop a three-year-old requirement that its member groups sign a letter stating they do not condone pedophilia. More than half of ILGA's 450 members refused to sign an anti-pedophile pledge.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Jenkinson, Michael|journal=Alberta Report|title=Back into the bedrooms of the nation|volume=23|issue=40|pages=35|date=16 September 1996|pages=35|issn=0225-0519}}</ref>

However, there have occasionally been signs of a backlash within the movement against crackdowns on pedophilia activists. In 1996, after the North American Man Boy Love Association and two similar European groups were expelled from the International Gay and Lesbian Alliance in order to satisfy the [[United Nations]] requirements for granting consultative status, intense internal pressure from ILGA's member organizations nonetheless impelled ILGA to drop a three-year-old requirement that its member groups sign a letter stating they do not condone pedophilia. More than half of ILGA's 450 members refused to sign an anti-pedophile pledge.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Jenkinson, Michael|journal=Alberta Report|title=Back into the bedrooms of the nation|volume=23|issue=40|date=16 September 1996|pages=35|issn=0225-0519}}</ref>

In 2013, [[Rush Limbaugh]] warned, "Don't Pooh-Pooh the Left's Push to Normalize Pedophilia".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/01/07/don_t_pooh_pooh_the_left_s_push_to_normalize_pedophilia|title=Don't Pooh-Pooh the Left's Push to Normalize Pedophilia|date=7 January 2013|author=Limbaugh, Rush|publisher=The Rush Limbaugh Show}}</ref> In 2013, the [[German Green Party]]'s most prominent politician disavowed his past support for legalizing sex with children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324492604579083123751192430|title=Painful Past Plagues German Greens|author=Troianovski, Anton|date=18 September 2013|publisher=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The Greens nonetheless did poorly in the September 2013 election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thechristians.com/?q=node/822|title=The brief, unhappy greening of German pedophilia|date=7 November 2013|author=Byfield, Link|publisher=TheChristians.com}}</ref>

In 2013, [[Rush Limbaugh]] warned, "Don't Pooh-Pooh the Left's Push to Normalize Pedophilia".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/01/07/don_t_pooh_pooh_the_left_s_push_to_normalize_pedophilia|title=Don't Pooh-Pooh the Left's Push to Normalize Pedophilia|date=7 January 2013|author=Limbaugh, Rush|publisher=The Rush Limbaugh Show}}</ref> In 2013, the [[German Green Party]]'s most prominent politician disavowed his past support for legalizing sex with children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324492604579083123751192430|title=Painful Past Plagues German Greens|author=Troianovski, Anton|date=18 September 2013|publisher=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The Greens nonetheless did poorly in the September 2013 election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thechristians.com/?q=node/822|title=The brief, unhappy greening of German pedophilia|date=7 November 2013|author=Byfield, Link|publisher=TheChristians.com}}</ref>