Statutory Rape

Cultural Norms

Different cultural norms further complicate society's perception of and response to statutory rape. In some cultures it is completely acceptable for young girls to have sexual relations with older adult men. Sometimes when adults are interested in sexual relations with minors, they give them and even their families gifts and money. This gift is perceived as acceptable and a sign of attention or love. In contrast, in other cultural circles, this same behavior is often described as grooming the victim or seducing a minor by forming a bond with the minor and then introducing a sexual component into the relationship. Another complication is that minors may not view themselves as victims, often saying that they are in love with the adult and therefore do not think a crime has been committed.

Reporting

Unlike child sexual abuse, which historically has a reporting requirement, statutory rape historically has no reporting requirement. Some jurisdictions are moving toward mandatory reporting laws, but reporting of statutory rape tends to be voluntary. Mandatory reporting can cause dilemmas for counselors, who may not believe it is the best way to help a minor by reporting it. Some counselors may not ask the minor's age to avoid mandatory reporting requirements. Voluntary reporting can also cause dilemmas because it is often not clear in which situations it would be best to report. Because of variation in laws on what constitutes statutory rape and variation in reporting requirements, it has generally been underreported.

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