Was Bristol Palin raped?

[darleneoconnor]

according to this bristol palin was so drunk when she conceived her son that she doesn't remember having sex.

Sounds like rape to me.

Then she was basically 'forced' to marry her rapist? WTF! Sometimes America sounds more like the middle east!

Quite a few forums are discussing this, with some

disgusting rape myths on this forum

karma - it certainly does.

Hmm, interesting side-debate forming in my mind about use of the word mental as an insult, dittany. I hope you don't mind me pointing out that I find it offensive to people with genuine mental illness, a bit like calling someone gay or retarded as an insult. You're a very eloquent person, am sure you can find a better word to use!

That wasn't intended to deflect away from the debate, BTW, not disagreeing with your POV, just the use of that one word.

I can't seem to access the huffpo page, not through the link here or through a google search. What was his reaction to Bristols pregnancy?

Dittany, can you not see how your attacks on people who disagree with you is unfair?

Hully says "I don't give a shit what age people have sex as long as they are happy and protected"

You twisted that into "young girls in Afghanistan have no protection from men who want to prey on them. Something that you seem to think is A-OK".

That's completely a twist of what she said and you know it. That might work as a debating tactic in some circles but not among rational people, surely?

Far from being 'abhorrent' I'm much more persuaded by hully's arguments than anyone else's on this thread tbh.

Apologies for coming (very) late to this - and it took me a while to read 13 pages.

It seems obvious to me that Levy Whatshisname is a little shit, whether he is a rapist or not.
What troubles me about the whole rape discussion in general is that there is no 'graduation' like with homicide: there are so many differentiations from self-defense (acceptable) via manslaughter (no intent) to full on murder.
Surely it is the disregard for a woman's wishes that makes a sexual act rape??
I have struggled with this since Ken Clarke's gaff, but I do find myself agreeing with that rape does not equal rape.
I have not been raped, but have had consensual sex whilst drunk (not to the point that I cannot remember, but certainly disinhibited), that with hindsight I thought was ill advised and regretted, but not rape as I wanted it at the time. And, crucially, the man in question was my peer, had not been trying to get me drunk etc etc.

I think Bristol Palin's case will forever be impossible to call because of all the political/PR implications of how her story gets reported. It is a great shame that her son is unlikely to have a great male role model in his dad

Re age of consent: absolutely crucial IMO. Although I do feel differently about a 16 year old male sleeping with a 15 year old female than a 25 year old and a 15 year old - rightly or wrongly, my emotional response to those 2 scenarios is different.

Smells, "I hope it is a fucking boy" .

Come on, people, play nice now...

dittany - irrational is good

disagreement's fine, it's the turning my words into arrant nonsense and wanton slinging of personal insults that provokes the only possible response of mockery

There's an interesting sub-point in this whole thing for me, which is Levi's reaction of hoping its a boy. The words he used are quite aggressive, am wondering whether that really is still a common feeling amongst men. And why, is it just a desire to have a mini-me to kick a ball around with, or something more, not sinister exactly, but not "nice" IFKWIM.

Maybe that's a whole other thread.

Am also slightly gobsmacked that anyone has sex in an allotment - my allotment was full of stinging nettles and random bits of wire, would have been rather painful!

Dittany, it's over the top to suggest that Hully is ok with older men preying on young girls (13, 14 yo.) who have no choice, when what I think she was saying was that she didn't particularly have a problem with a 16 year old having sex with a 15 year old if both were happy and the sex was consensual. You must be able to see the distinction and how you twisted her words.

@ 'sex in allotment' - I always thought sex al fresco was overrated

My greatgrandmother was married off aged 18 to a 45 year old business partner of her father's because it made good business sense. They had 2 children, he died when she was 28 leaving her a widow for 70 years until she died aged 98.
I never knew her, but their marriage was legal, I have no idea what she thought about it, but it just feels disgusting and abusive, in more ways than one. Was she raped?? - I don't know, and even a modern age of consent would not have protected her .

Dittany and Hully, kiss and make up, gawn!