14-Year-Old Girl Arrested for Child Pornography of Herself
Wait, didn't we see this already? No, it's happening yet again.
This time, it's a 14-year-old New Jersey girl who's facing child pornography charges, and possible lifetime registration as a sex offender, for posting photos of herself on Myspace.com.
If convicted as a sex offender, she'll be restricted on how close she can get to a school. This is to punish her--or is it to protect her? Is she the perpetrator or the victim?
According to a late 2008 study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, this kind of thing is commonplace. "Sex and Tech: Results from a Survey of Teens and Young Adults" was conducted between September 25, 2008 and October 3, 2008. According to the study, 20% of teens overall, 22% of teen girls, 18% of teen boys, and 11% of young teen girls (ages 13 to 16) said they sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves.
In other words, a high percentage may qualify for being a registered sex offender--just for showing somebody pictures of themselves.
And that's not even including those who engage in sex play with their peers or siblings. In the "good old days" of the 1970s, that sort of thing could get you a spanking and lecture. Now, just showing someone her photos could get that 14-year-old girl 17 years in a New Jersey prison.
This is just another fundamental absurdity in Megan's Law, which ironically was designed to protect young people from something that had nothing to do with Megan's case.
And there's also the legal idiocy of a 14-year-old being charged as an adult for a crime against a 14-year-old child. Do 14 years make you an adult or a child? The law doesn't know, even if you're the same person.
If the law is going to be ageist, discriminating against people unfairly because of an arbitrary age, can't they at least be consistent?
Read the story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102386952
See the survey at http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/sextech/PDF/SexTech_Summary.pdf
(Alden Loveshade and Lorien Loveshade contributed to this)
Comments
Just when we thought the law couldn't get more strange. It's terrible the way we punish our youth for being themselves. And all in the name of protection!
Parents raise your children well, prepare them for life. Punishment never protects.
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | April 1, 2009 12:49 AM
I would comment about how incredibly stupid your American laws are. But considering that the innocent photo you posted was investigated as child porn here in Canada....
Posted by: Candid Carl | April 1, 2009 04:21 AM
I think if teens know they'll be lifetime registered sex offenders and sent to prison they'll think twice about doing this! They should NOT be posting nude photos of themselves anywhere. Harsh punishments stop harsh crimes. And harsh punishments can help keep teens safe!
Posted by: Andina | April 2, 2009 06:09 AM
Hey Andina great idea! Why don't we punish everything who breaks any law, even speeding, with beheading? People could even volunteer for their beheading. It could be a slogan:
People of America, Give Us Your Head!
Posted by: Rev. Bootie | April 2, 2009 10:16 PM
If we locked all kids up between the ages of 13 and 18, that would make us parents lives much easier.
Posted by: Abigail Moon | April 3, 2009 06:58 PM
Andina there's nothing wrong with being naked and seeing each other naked. It's natural. We aren't born wearing clothes! Click on my name to learn more about nudism.
But the law is to protect children although really I wouldn't call someone who's 14 a child unless they acted that way. So who is it protecting? It's not protecting the girl it's making her a sex offender!
Read the article even the ones who worked to make the law don't like the way it works. The laws are so complicated not even legislators can make any sense out of them.
We need to get rid of bad laws. Laws should be there to help people not hurt them.
Posted by: Lorien Loveshade | April 4, 2009 06:00 PM
Who is the law designed to protect? Young people who are preyed on by older people. She can't be older than herself.
Posted by: Holly on a Tree | April 5, 2009 01:20 PM
So where's the pics?
Posted by: Simon Adams | April 8, 2009 04:57 PM
Stupid Stupid Stupid
Posted by: Edwood | April 11, 2009 03:25 PM
If this was posted on April 1, I'd know it was a joke. Hard to believe this is real.
Posted by: Gary | April 15, 2009 02:37 PM
This sucks! Can't they respect a woman's right to her own body? You can't take pics of yourself? What if you touch yourself. Is that child abuse? I don't understand.
Posted by: Queen Melissa | April 16, 2009 02:38 PM
Taking nude photos of yourself when you're under 18 is just stupid. They should be punished! The fear of being throw into prison will stop this atrocity.
Posted by: Harlie Carl | April 18, 2009 06:37 PM
Yes, Harlie, just like the fear of being arrested has stopped all teens from having sex, and stopped everyone from smoking marijuana. Your arguments went out with the 1920s and prohibtion. What a disaster that was.
Posted by: Spider Sex God | April 19, 2009 07:44 AM
This is silly
Posted by: Vernon Avaritt | April 20, 2009 08:51 PM
This post is nothing without pics.
Posted by: Tony | August 17, 2009 12:53 PM
Creative work is play. It is free speculation using materials of one's chosen form. If the form is the body iit is still art. Do not punish the girls and the boys for using their own bodies as free expression in their art. This is beautiful.
Posted by: Troy from Singapore | September 13, 2009 03:42 PM
i am iranian. i am love sex child girls.
(We're assuming you mean, "I am Iranian. I am in love, and my lawfully-wedding spouse and I have intimate physical relations to produce children, possibly girls.")
Posted by: farzin | December 9, 2009 06:02 PM
Many laws, much stupidity.
Posted by: Red Rogert | May 18, 2010 06:29 AM
If a 14-year-old girl wants to show people pics of herself naked, so be it. If anyone wants to do it, so be it. Where's the victim in showing your own photos?
Posted by: Fhasa | May 19, 2010 05:38 AM
As a Freshman, I am always searching online for articles that can help me get further ahead. Thanks a million!
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(Link removed. We believe this is spam, but couldn't resist the likely unintended irony).
Posted by: Clement Paras | July 28, 2010 03:36 PM
Can we get real here? What heterosexual guy wouldn't want to see pornography of a good-looking 14-year-old girl? All this pretending that they aren't sexy until they're 18 is b***s***.
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(Sorry, but as per our policy we censored one of your words. Please read http://loveshade.org/blog/read_before_posting)
Posted by: Max Sharp | July 28, 2010 11:06 PM
Great blog it's not often that I comment but I felt you deserve it. Also do you know where I can get her photos? It's for a report.
Posted by: Lesbian Kangaro | August 27, 2010 05:41 PM
One man's pornography is another man's art. I like art.
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Posted by: Free Porn | November 16, 2010 12:57 PM