Is there any evidence that adults having sex with children is harmful?

[PurpleHouse]

Sometimes in tv drama i see "grooming" scenarios. An older man forms relationship with schoolgirl. Usually in teens so biologically mature, but in school. And in those cases it is not just a sexual relationship. It is clear abuse. The man manipulates the young person, often makes unrealistic promises, often claims the relationship is more than it is, and often drives the person away from friends and family. That is all abusive whether it's a 24yo+15yo or a 28yo+27yo.

And i dont know if the real versions of those fictional men would be true MAPs or just men choosing people at "low" end of their "normal" AoA.

Many MAPs choose not to do those things. What is happening there is not just a relationship. There is something nasty going on. But all society knows is cases like those.

[Bookshelf]

Many MAPs choose not to do those things. What is happening there is not just a relationship. There is something nasty going on. But all society knows is cases like those.

I don't think that's exactly true. Society knows full well that there can be "normal" relationships involving AMSC. It's just there's a widespread belief that normal behavior is in fact not normal.

Just consider what kind of behavior is considered grooming. Sure, it can be making fake promises or isolating people from their family/friends... but it can also be just paying attention. Talking. Playing video games with them. When these things happen and there's a sexual element involved at some stage (or people believe there is), the grooming label is slapped on it.

[OnionPetal]

[...] Also, often feminism tries teaching girls that their positive experiences were negative, and this is sometimes giving girls trauma over times they consented.

Indeed. And it's standard practice whenever an AoC-related law is broken, to take the minor into 'therapy' where the therapist puts on her 'concerned' face and 'works' on the kid in isolation, where they act like this is the most horrible thing that could've ever happened to a child. (Maybe this helps build a case for the prosecution, or maybe they truly believe that all sexual activity for minors is 'harmful'). Coupled with the 'serious' police interrogations (also often isolating the kids from their parents), this can all end up convincing the minor that they were actually 'traumatised,' regardless of their actual experience or initial feelings at the time. And if minors really are as 'impressionable' as normies believe, then wouldn't it be fairly easy for trusted authority figures like psychologists and police to convince them that they were 'traumatised'?

Manipulation, forcing someone, hurting someone, that is harmful. It might not traumatize, but it might.

But that isn't an age thing, the same is true in adult relationships. I know people who were cheated on, had difficult divorces, had uncaring partners who you could say were traumatized, depending on how you rate trauma. [...]

Great point. Harm should generally be classified based on individual experiences, not simply based on age lines. Yes, children can be more vulnerable and warrant some special protections. But there can also be harms from 'protecting' minors from sexuality.

MAPs are not any more 'abusive' than normies. In fact, studies have actually shown MAPs to have more empathy than normies. I agree that the overwhelming majority of relationships are positive - regardless of age delineations.