The Post committed an egregious error in its July 26 front-page story “Top swim coach accused of affair with teen in 1980s” by describing incidents of child sexual abuse as an “affair” and a “sexual relationship.” Not only do these terms imply consent but they also minimize what is a very insidious crime and suggest that some of the blame may lie with the victim.
Children are not able to give consent. The swimmer at the focus of the story was 13 when the abuse allegedly began. A child’s involvement with an adult offender should never be considered consensual. A more accurate description is “statutory rape.”
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