Why do you tell yourself that kids can consent?

[RoosterDance]

The fact traumatic memories function differently from ordinary memory is pretty much settled science.

Hoo boy! I disagree super strongly with that!

That whole "recovered memory" stuff is bogus. Please don't try to revive that nonsense trend. I have not read this book you're quoting, but even in just that passage you presented, I see major flaws. The big one is that, like so many others, they're assuming that EVERY sexual experience was SO TRAGIC AND DEVASTATING THAT THERE'S NO WAY THEY COULD EVER FORGET ABOUT IT IN THIER ENTIRE LIVES!!! And that no other possibility exists.

Where as I can explain this whole thing much easier by saying the sexual experience must not have been that memorable. Or they've just long since moved on. I'm not saying that's always the case, but it's a possibility. I would even say it's very likely. This applies even despite the fact that they took their sample from hospitals. After all, you can end up in the hospital even when you're not physically injured. And even then, do you remember every single time you wound up in the hospital and what led up to it? Maybe you do. But not everyone will. I certainly don't.

[msykm99]

I have to speak on the topic of when he mentions babies and how they cannot speak first. I like ages 5-10 so I must say anything below speaking age is crazy to me. Infant attraction is bizarre to me but unfortunately antis will look at us all the same. So speaking on ages that can speak I would like to give this scenario. Lets say we get to a point of first entry and the kid says yes even through the pain, thats how a kid can consent. I see alot of replies but none touch on this. I feel what im saying is very important. Kids can change their minds mid way but the fact that they can is what makes me believe kids can consent. As a man ive never been penetrated so I cant speak on the feeling but I can image that it can be painful at first. Btw this is at any age. So a kid willing to go thru this pain at a younger age is proof that they can consent. It might not take one day it may take a couple but if the consent is there we can make it through.

[JGHeaven]

When I was a child I had strong emotions and views of the world, it's patronising to suggest young people don't have the intellect or right to consent or not consent. People love to feel some level of superiority over others, that they have some higher perspective making them better to judge for others, but that is just ego and vanity, not reality.

Kids have strong views and emotions, stronger than adults much of the time, I know I did. The legal system thought is built by adults to serve adults, no young person has been asked to help shape the law or the world they live in. It's an abuse of position really but one that won't change until young people are given a voice and set of basic rights.

[ASpiritualMAP]

I've just finished reading a book called "The Trouble with Trauma." It's a push-back on the whole cPTSD expansion of trauma. It’s written by a child psychiatrist. The first suprising thing I learned, was Bassel van der Kolk didn’t work in child psychiatry.

One of the main points the book makes, is that the majority of interpersonal trauma studies are cross-sectional studies, and aren’t prospective studies. In other words, they don’t show people’s personalities before a trauma. They only study the after effects. This means they can never tell anything about causation. In contrast, prospective studies can tell the researchers about causation.

An obvious question would be, did the personality/behavior characteristics predate the trauma? Here's a video where the author explains his issues with cPTSD. I thought folks here would enjoy it. https://youtu.be/_8Nuavf-gPw

[PorcelainLark]

One of the main points the book makes, is that the majority of interpersonal trauma studies are cross-sectional studies, and aren’t prospective studies. In other words, they don’t show people’s personalities before a trauma. They only study the after effects.

That's really interesting, it fits with my skepticism towards the claim that experiencing CSA is what makes people into pedophiles.