"I think...it is not just a numerical age difference that causes the trauma and thus constitutes abuse. It's probably a number of factors...Familial relations, position of power/trust over victim, levels of coercion/consent, etc.
Society has decided a need to restrict underage sex...."
1. "Society" has decided "a need" to restrict?
2. Is there such a thing as right or wrong in your thinking?
3. Do you know what a child is? A minor?
4. Is age a trivial factor in your mind?
5. Are you saying that if "familial relations" are good and a child and a relative consent, then psychological and physical harm won't necessarily result from sexual interaction?
6. And if the child "trusts" the older person and consents, then psychological and physical harm won't result. Is this what you're saying?
If this is what you believe, then there is absolutely no difference between the way you're thinking and the way a pedophile or molester of minors thinks on this issue.
I'm not saying you're a molester, but it would be helpful if you analyzed your own thinking on this. Because you're sounding like you'd fit in nicely at a NAMBLA parade.
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding and you can explain?
Or perhaps I am understanding very well....
7. Which is it?
Please answer each numbered question directly if you could. A simple yes or no will suffice to keep this brief. I'm not meaning to offend, but I think a brief yes/no to those questions will help me to understand your position better.
1. yes, since that's what we do when we pass laws.. Biology equips us with the ability and desire to procreate at puberty; but to protect psychologically immature children from predation society has decided to legally establish a later age of consent.
2. of course there is.
3. In common usage, I always think of a child as someone who is between infancy and adolescence.. For our purposes though it's probably more like "not of age." Which in this case I guess would be either 18 or the age of consent, same definition as a minor.
4. Not quite sure what you mean.. Age difference in sex is not trivial unless both are adults.
5,6. You completely misunderstood what I said. He asked whether the trauma/damage of sexual abuse was related only to age. When I said "it's probably a number of factors...Familial relations, position of power/trust over victim, levels of coercion/consent" I meant the LEVEL of psychological damage would be INCREASED if the abuse were incestuous, if trust was betrayed, if it was forced/nonconsensual. Nothing in there was meant to legitimize statutory rape which is not incestuous, not a betrayal of trust, and not forced. He asked what might factor into the level of damage of abuse OTHER than age, I gave my best guesses.
7. You are misunderstanding.