any counselors out there? Come on don't be shy.

[Shortbus]

Thats funny OL, Fornits is whatever you want it to be.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-08-27 10:25:00, OverLordd wrote:

"This is not a fucking support group... marine and parents, if you need support go to ST or something."

Huh?

[monster]

okay OL then what is fornits for just a bash session? because it's not just that. Sorry but a lot of us dont exactly want to sit around and waste our lives trying to " get back " at HLA.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why anybody would be shocked about relationships between assistant counselors and students. When you put a staff member who is maybe 22 or 23 yrs old around 17 and 18 yr old girls it's only natural for them to be attracted to each other sometimes. Inappropriate? Yes. An offense to be fired for? Yes. But illegal or considered child molestation? No. Same thing with young teachers and high school and college students. It happens in any environment.

[Troll Control]

There are girls there as young as 12 or 13.  What about them?  You're talking like all of the girls are seniors in high school.  That's not the case.

It's also more involved than just young, 22 or 23 year old men (who, by the way, are FULL GROWN men and have no business sniffing around a minor).  There are staff there that are much older and playing the same game.

To me, any way you cut it up, it's predation.  Whether the staff is 23 or 33 or 43.  They use a position of power and control to take advantage of their charges.  Let's not forget thet these people are supposed to care for these residents, nurture them, support them,  not try to FUCK THEM.

I think your comparison to high school teachers or college professors is off base.  These children were supposedly sent to HLA because they have "issues."  

Many of the young girls (and that's what they are, NOT adults, and many function emotionally at a much lower level then their chronological age would suggest) have issues surrounding sexual abuse by adults and it happens to them all over again in place that's responsible for their welfare.

I underdstand what you're saying about these things happening, but the way you say it MINIMIZES the severity of the act.  The act itself is compounded by the very nature of the relationship.

I do consider it child molestation, yes.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't talking about those type of relationships. The only ones I have seen typed on here were between girls who were almost 18 and young assistant counselors, not between young teens and 40 yr old men. Do you have information that a staff or employee molested a 13 yr old student?

[Troll Control]

I've been in contact with some young women who are preparing to report these events to police.  It's forthcoming.

You're still justifying relationships between staff and residents.  BAD BUSINESS.

[Anonymous]

There should NEVER be "relationships" between therapists/counselors and clients of ANY AGES...that is HIGHLY UNETHICAL and a reason for any therapists/counselors to loose thier licenses.

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG!

Now put this in the context of a therapist and a minor child---and that is criminal.  And a child under the age of 18 is just that: A CHILD!!!

There is no excuse what-so-ever for any therapist/counselor to act this way!

[Anonymous]

You are confusing the issue Dysfunction. I didn't justify it, I said it was natural, as in, human nature. Would a normal young man of 22 be attracted to a normal young woman of 17 or 18 if they met in a social setting? Yes they would. The thing that makes it unethical is the role they were in. I think they should be fired for the relationship. But I don't think it should be considered a crime. Lots of young women over the thousands of years of civilization were attracted at the age of 17 to a young man of 22 and then later married to that same man for 60 years. Was he a criminal for that? I don't think so!

[monster]

AMEN

[Anonymous]

IT is wrong, unethical for a therapist to engage in a relationship with a client.  To engage in such a RELATIONSHIP with a MINOR is a CRIME, like it or not!

[Anonymous]

In the state of Georgia the age of Consent is 16. If the 16 yr old enters into the relationship without force then it is not child molestation. It is statuatory rape, which is a misdemeanor. If a counselor enters into a relationship with a student, that person can be fired, or can have his license revoked. He/She would not, however, necesarilly be incarcerated for said misdemeanor. I am not sure that the state can actually enforce the statuatory rape charge though unless a parent or the school press for charges.

[Troll Control]

Yes, the state can press charges with or without the parents' consent.  That's why it's called "statutory rape."  It means the parties involved consented to the act, but it's in violation of the state law.

That being said, it is rarely enforced by the state alone, as they would have no way to know the crime was committed without the typical reportage by the parents.

You also say that if the minor enters the relationship "without force," then it is not molestation.  I would take a read of Georgia case law to see how the actual statute has been interpreted.  

In NY, it is considered "force" if the abuser uses a postion of power or influence to victimize the child.  I would say that someone who exercises daily control over every single aspect of a child's life (like a "TBS" counselor) would be in a position of power over that child.

In my opinion, this is child molestation.

[Anonymous]

If the student was over the age of consent and was a willing participant in the relationship, it is not child molestation. A court of law would consider that statuatory only. Whether or not the relationship was between therapist/student does not necesarilly mean that person coerced or forced through their position to start that relationship. The student may have initiated the relationship. Not that the therapist should have pursued it. I am not condoning the relationships between therapists and students. I do believe they should be fired. But I don't think it should be considered "child" molestation if the "child" was almost an adult and the "adult" is right out of college. I started dating my husband when he was 23 and I was almost 17. And I am over 40 now.

[Anonymous]

In many cases abuse is automatically implied if the balance of power is unequal- i.e. teacher/student, therapist/patient.  It doesn't matter in the eyes of the law who initiated the relationship or  whether it was consensual.  I don't know Georgia law, but don't assume that the staff person is off the hook.
:silly: