On 12/10/08, Anthony <wikimail(a)inbox.org> wrote:
I wonder, what would you say of a prepubescent girl
whose parents had her
work in a strip club? Is that a decision that a girl and her parents should
be allowed to make, or is it a situation where the government can step in
and stop? If the latter, is it reasonable to call it a sex crime?
I wouldn't call it a sex crime but there are in fact laws against
employing minors in a "sexually-oriented business", which is probably
a good thing.
It is possible that some jurisdictions may classify the strip club
operator as a sex offender in if convicted of knowingly hiring a
minor, I really have no idea. Revocation of business licence would be
almost certain.
And yes I do agree that it would be bad parenting on the mother's
part. Same with the album cover and most of the other examples I
mentioned. Daughter could probably be taken into state custody and
foster care if a certain burden of proof is met, I really don't know.
If any of these prosecutions occur it will be due to laws which
already exist, many of which are written in response to specific
incidents. Often they are known legally by a cryptic number but more
commonly as "So-and-so's Law" in remembrance of a famous victim and as
part of a grass-roots campaign to keep the same thing from happening
again.
That's the way it should work, and I support this. But enforcing laws
we think should exist would not hold up in court, at least not in any
country which values freedom.
—C.W.