@article{ref1,
title="Is it love or sexual abuse? Young adults' perceptions of statutory rape",
journal="Journal of child sexual abuse",
year="2013",
author="Oudekerk, Barbara A. and Farr, Rachel H. and Reppucci, N. Dickon",
volume="22",
number="7",
pages="858-877",
abstract="Adults under age 25 comprise the majority of statutory rape perpetrators, yet we know little about their perceptions of statutory relationships. We assessed 210 (50% male) young adults' perceptions of statutory rape involving a 15-year-old female adolescent and a male who was either 2, 4, or 6 years older. Across all age gaps, 73.7% of participants felt the relationship should not be a crime. Participants who read about a 4- or 6-year (versus 2-year) age gap perceived the relationship as significantly more of a crime and the older partner as more responsible and in need of legal intervention. Effects were partially mediated by perceptions of the relationship as exploitive. Results suggest a need to educate young adults about statutory rape.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1053-8712",
doi="10.1080/10538712.2013.830668",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2013.830668"
}