huffnpuff,and the Forgotten Australians.

Did I not hear that there is to be an apology given by both the PM and the Opposition Leader on the 16th November 2009. That is only a few days away, so good for you and all the effort we know that you put into acheiving this. The good things take a lot of work to get. I knew you could do it. Persistance is the key.

I only caught the end of the announcement, so may not have it quite right, but am really pleased for you and all the others. I could not be happier and cannot think of a more deserving group to receive an apology.

Congratulations on your acheivement and best regards

Responding to huffnpuff's informed comments, I am wondering why, where the definition of rape is so broad, there is an apparent dearth of reports of rape of children, including by women.

Thinking about the focus of this thread, has any rape crisis centre ever recorded a female rape of a child?

"The prevailing view was that it would take the boy 6 months to get the smile off his face."

One of the interesting questions is how best to look after a group of boys who might not see themselves as victims and might not benefit from being labelled as such.

Obviously there are good reasons to prosecute these criminals and raise awareness of this issue, but lets not forget the boys involved.

ImO both Huffnpuff and cornflower have valid points. I have had concerns about the definition ever since my nights on crisis intervention counseling.

I detest Labels as they are invariably wrong and based on ignorance or prejudice. The problem is that our laws out of necessity of consistency have been written in definitions of black or white, yes or no.

Extenuating circumstance are only applied at sentencing and then in tight parameters.
The problem is people jump to often emotional or cultural driven conclusions because it sure beats thinking about it.

Like the lad involved in my example I have mentioned a a street wise girl almost 16 and how the 'black letter' of the law screwed both her and later, her hubby over comprehensively.

"While the law is both blind and sure, people should not always be either." E14

Most mentally ill people are more of a danger to themselves than others. They're human and have good days and bad days are sweet and sometimes cranky who isn't?

'my nights on crisis intervention counseling.'

They're becoming as legendary as Hyacinth's 'Candlelight suppers'

"The prevailing view was that it would take the boy 6 months to get the smile off his face."

I think that is still the prevailing view and it's one that makes it especially hard for men and boys to talk about the effects on them of rape or sexual abuse.

The difference is that some evil old scagg takes what she wants from someone vulnerable (even if so by hormone rush) and too young to know better. When any adult takes advantage of a child; they are satisfying their own selfish wants at the expense of the child's well-being and life choices. Like, a male child victim can still get venereal warts and other STDs., just like any female child victim.

If the adult perpetrator has some demons from the past that manifest as current addiction or mental health problems; they also have every opportunity and the personal autonomy, to seek appropriate help.

Child sexual abuse is despicable - NO excuses.