The age of consent in Delaware in 1880 was 7 years old. In most states it was around 10 years old. Was pedophilia "normal" then? (pizzagate)

submitted ago by we_kill_creativity

Here is a link to a page that has a table of American and European ages of consent going back to 1880: https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/case-studies/230?section=primarysources&source=24

I was completely shocked to find that most states had their age of consent set at 10 in 1880, and, as I said in the title, Delaware had it at 7 years old. Europe was similar. What was going on back then? I can understand that people tended to get married younger in the past, but 7-10 years old!?

Was pedophilia "normal" back then? Also, don't be surprised if the people pushing for it to be normalized today use this to make their agenda seem more palatable.

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Kwijibo ago

In 1896 my great-grand parents got married at 15. So I guess it would depend on how old the other person was. If the male was 13 (which was basically considered an adult back then) then 10 would not be as out of line as it seems now.

we_kill_creativity ago

So I guess it would depend on how old the other person was.

In a case by case basis only, but the larger point is the legality of it. So what I'm trying to point out, legally, it was ok for a 50 year old person to have sex with a 10 year old person. As in, if it went to court, it wasn't illegal.

Blessthemaker ago

While technically legal, that much of an age difference would be viewed with much the same disgust as it is today.

we_kill_creativity ago

If so, then why was it legal? What is the practical reason for making it legal for a 7 or 10 year old to consent to sex?

Blessthemaker ago

Arranged marriages for political benefit.