Is Montana Prosecuting Consenting Adults?

Peter Christian reports at newstalkkgvo.com about what appears to be a prosecution of consensual sex by the state of Montana...

An Alaska man, Russell Whitfield Smith, 48, was charged in Missoula Justice Court on Wednesday, December 11, with committing incest with his adult daughter, 19, in her Missoula home.

According to court documents, law enforcement received a call from Child Protective Services on December 10  that a father was having consensual sex with his biological daughter.

Consensual sex. If it is consensual, with a 19-year-old, it shouldn't be a crime.

Russell W. Smith had moved to Missoula from Alaska and was living with his daughter and they were having sex.

This makes me wonder if this is a case of Genetic Sexual Attraction. If she had not previously been living with him, it could very well be.

The victim’s roommate reported the incidents to authorities, confirming that they were having sex and planned to marry.

So again, this sounds like a consensual relationship and the roommate, possibly jealous or just bigoted, ratted them out. This is why I say consanguineous lovers should protect themselves.

Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Clark said that the victim was mentally disabled, and that her father was taking advantage of her.

So is Clark alleging that the 19-year-old is unable to consent to sex with anyone? If she is legally able to consent to group sex with 5 cage fighters she just met, why not Smith?

Incest is a felony, punishable by from two to four years or more than 100 years or life in the Montana State Prison, and a $50,000 fine.

It is ridiculous that anyone would be criminally prosecuted for consensual sex, let alone be sent to prison for 100 years! Criminal prosecution should be reserved for assault/rape, where I can definitely understand a 100-year prison sentence.

A Reminder That GSA is Real

Ben Acheson wrote about Genetic Sexual Attraction at huffingtonpost.co.uk. The piece did not start our well...

Incest; is there anything more shudderingly repulsive?

First of all, GSA isn't incest as most people think about it. Secondly, not everyone finds this form of consensual sex repulsive. A lot of people have done it themselves. I think most people would not find these relationships repulsive.

What if there is no force, coercion or betrayal of trust?

 Uh, yeah. That's what we're talking about.

What if there is no sexual predator and no victim?

Then some places, stupidly, criminally prosecute everyone. Makes sense, right? Not really.

He then links to that particular forum where consanguinamory is discouraged.

They claim that any two consenting adults should be able to share love, sex, residence and marriage. They claim that they are not hurting anyone. They claim that laws and prejudices need to catch up with reality. 

Yes we do claim that any consenting adults (not just two) should be free to share their lives. Not so much the people running that one forum.

It may be kept shrouded in mystery and spoken about only in whispers, but it is not going to go away anytime soon. Adoption reunions are increasingly common, especially since social networking has simplified tracing. Increasing rates of IVF, sperm donation and even divorce will only create more opportunity for family members to be separated then found later in life too.

Yes. This is going to be happening a lot more in the coming years.

Is there a difference between biological and sociological incest?

Yes.

Should we condemn those gripped by GSA?

No. We should not condemn ANY consenting adults for loving each other.

Or is it an ordinary response to exceptional circumstances?

Yes, it is an ordinary response.

If you have experienced GSA, there is now a section specifically to discuss GSA at Kindred Spirits. It is a free, welcoming forum, but be sure to read and immediately follow all of the rules. You will see the GSA forum after you do so.

Gonna Need a Bigger House on the Prarie

A scientific study says polyandry pays off for female prarie dogs. As always, I note that what happens in other species isn't always applicable to humans, but this is another example refuting the claim that polyandry is "not natural." In this case, polyandry has increased the likelihood that a female will have more surviving offspring. I found this report at phys.org.

Credit: Elaine Miller Bond (elainemillerbond.com)

Mating with more than one male increases reproductive success for female prairie dogs, despite an increase in risks. This is according to a new study published in The Journal of Mammalogy by behavioral ecologist John Hoogland, Professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Appalachian Laboratory.

Mating entails significant costs such as increased susceptibility to predation and increased exposure to diseases and parasites. So why would a female prairie dog take the risk to mate with multiple males? The answer is simple and clear: female prairie dogs that mate with two or more males rear more offspring than those that mate with only one.

So, if you're a woman looking to have a lot of offspring, polyandry might be a strategy.

Prairie dogs are herbivorous rodents of the squirrel family, and forage aboveground from dawn until dusk. They live in colonies of territorial, contiguous family groups that contain one or two sexually mature adult males, three or four sexually mature adult females, and one or two sexually immature yearling males.

Know any families like that?

More information: "Why do female prairie dogs copulate with more than one male? Insights from long-term research" was published in the September issue of The Journal of Mammalogy: www.umces.edu/sites/default/files/Polyandry%2C%20JM%2C%20September%202013.pdf

I find science fascinating.

Polyamory Is Not Just For Couples

Angi Becker Stevens writes at huffingtonpost.com to clear up a misunderstand about polyamorous relationships...

Over the past few years, polyamory has become a more widely known term and practice. And perhaps inevitably, certain misconceptions and misunderstandings about what "polyamory" means have become widespread as well.

That's for sure. There are so many different ways polyamory can be experienced, and people often base their perception, or mistaken understanding, on one example. 

It would be unfortunately difficult to say which among these misunderstandings is the most common, or the most hurtful to polyamorous folks. But there's one in particular that I'd like to discuss: the idea that "polyamory" means "committed couple who have casual partners on the side."

That's just one of many ways polyamory can be experienced.

Many of us have deeply committed relationships with more than one partner, with no hierarchy among them and no core "couple" at the heart of it all. To me, this notion that there must be one more important relationship, one true love, feels a lot like people looking at same-sex couples and thinking that one person must be the "man" in the relationship and the other must be the "woman." After all, both of these misunderstandings result from people trying to graft their normative conceptions of love and relationships onto people who are partnering in non-normative ways. It seems that it is somewhat easy for many people to acknowledge that humans are capable of loving one person and still enjoying sex with others (assuming, of course, that the terms of their relationship make such behavior acceptable). But it is much harder for people to think outside the fairy-tale notion of "the one" and imagine that it might be possible to actually romantically love more than one person simultaneously. 

She goes on to explain the problems this can cause and how people can avoid insulting polyamorous people. It is a very good thing to read.

3rd International Conference on the Future of Monogamy and Nonmonogamy

Ethical nonmonogamy will continue to gain understanding, acceptance, and recognition as we move towards full marriage equality and relationship right for all. Conferences like this one will help with the process. From the website...

This event will happen February 21-23, 2014, in Berkeley, California, USA.

This conference will explore issues related to monogamous and nonmonogamous relationships from an interdisciplinary perspective. This event will be devoted to presentations of scientific and academic research related to polyamory, open relationships, swinging, other forms of consensual nonmonogamy and related subjects. The conference does not take a position on whether any particular type or style of relationship is healthy or pathological. The intention of the event is explore the subject in as objective and unbiased a manner as possible. Presentations will cover various topics that offer some possible progress to a deeper and more complete understanding of the phenomenon of consensual nonmonogamy.

This event will happen at:
THE CLARK KERR CONFERENCE CENTER, BUILDING #14, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
The street address of the event is:
2601 WARRING STREET,
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, 94720.

Search Phrase of the Day

Someone came to my blog by searching the phrase...

Actual incest in front of non family

Now that's an interesting concept. Many people have fantasies and some people have actual experience in a threesome with two close relatives, often siblings or parent and adult child.. If the close relatives do anything sexual with each other in the process, that is considered consensual incest. With as common as consanguineous sex is, there are bound to be others who see it, either by accident or intention. It can happen at a swingers party or play party, perhaps with witnesses not even knowing the people involved are close relatives.

Since consanguinamory is still illegal in many places and people in consanguinamorous relationships are subject to discrimination and want to protect themselves, most such lovers will never have sex in front of other people. And, of course, many people are shy or want privacy and would never have sex at all in front of others whatever the circumstances.

Being present for consanguinamory can be a quite an experience. Have you ever seen consanguineous sex? Or, if you have experience with consanguinamory, has you ever done anything in front of people outside the family?

Is Jenny Erikson Stir Crazy?

Jenny Erikson decided to spew confusion and ignorance at thestir.cafemom.com in a piece titled "Forget Gay Marriage & Polygamy -- It's Open Marriages That Destroy Families"...

You know the story: Boy meets girl, boy marries girl, boy invites another girl into their bed, and girl is strangely ok with it, because she has her own lesbian lover on the side anyway.

Wait, what?

Welcome to polyamory, the strange perversion of what love in marriage looks like.

Perversion?

The situation described is only one example of polyamory. Polyamory takes many, many forms.

Incest Charges Against Zambian Woman Dropped

Sylvia Mweetwa reports at times.co.zm that an adult woman in Zambia charged with "incest" has been freed. Once again, reports are too skimpy to give a clear picture of what happened.

A TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD woman of Kapiri Mposhi who is alleged to have been in a secret sexual affair with her 49-year-old father for nine years and has been appearing in court for charges of incest has walked to freedom.

That would have made her 16 when the "sexual affair" started. According to this and this, 16 is the age of consent in Zambia.

This was after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) issued instructions to enter a nolle prosequi into the matter. The woman could be turned into a State witness.

So, does that imply that they now believe it wasn't consensual?

This is in a case in which Gift Mweemba was facing a charge of incest by a female.

Particulars of the offence were that between January 1, 2004 and March 1, 2013, Gift permitted Paid Mweemba, knowing that he was her biological father, to have unlawful carnal knowledge of her contrary to Section 161 (1) of the Laws of Zambia.

It would have been perfectly legal for her to have sex with a complete stranger who was a 40 or 50-year-old, or a neighbor who has been like a father to her since she was born, but not the man she is alleged to have had a "sexual affair" with.

Meanwhile, in the case of Mweemba who is facing one count of incest contrary to Section 159 (1) of the Penal Code Cap 87 as amended by Act No. 15 of 2005 of the Laws of Zambia, the DPP allowed the commencement of trial.

Particulars of the offence are that Mweemba between January 1, 2004 and March 1, 2013, knowing that Gift was his biological daughter, had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.

Interesting that they are different parts of the law, but essentially the same charge: consensual incest. If this wasn't consensual he should be charged with rape. If it was consensual it shouldn't be a criminal matter. No information on whether or not he raised her or not, or how they were turned over for prosecution. If he raised her and groomed her for this, that would be quite the story as she was held under his sway all the way through age 25 and it shouldn't be called a "sexual affair" but rather ongoing sexual assault. But if this is different matter, where she actually did freely consent (perhaps not being raised by him at all), the story is that they are wasting resources pursuing his prosecution. The article then goes on to apparently less important criminal matters... like homicide.

We Get Letters

This blog is visited by people all over the planet, and welcomes comments and I also welcome your emails and private messages. Everyone once in a while I publish some of those messages in a blog entry, which is what I’m I’m doing here.

Our entry Frequently Asked Question: How Common is Incest? is consistently the most popular entry. An anonymous hater left this comment, which I didn’t publish…

My God people, you are so sick. I just need to go and vomit now.

Very rarely is a criticism of any substance left.

Helena left a comment after another FAQ response that answers why consanguineous sex is still illegal in many places.

i REALLY wish people would not use the term inbreeding , a child is born of love in a consensual consanguinious relationship and inbreeding makes me feel like the sow on a pig farm LOL

Most children born to close relatives are healthy and look like anyone else. Many of them are better-looking.

After the entry explaining why I prefer the term consanguineous, Anonymous wrote…

Scotland Still Prosecuting Consenting Adults For Loving Each Other

From this report at stv.tv, it appears as though Scotland is still prosecuting adults for consensual sex. What century is this again?

 

A man is to stand trial accused of having sex with his half-sister.

Doesn't that sound ridiculous? What a waste of resources. Every bit of money and time put into prosecuting this case could have been spent prosecuting abusers.

John Bowes is alleged to have committed an act of incest by sleeping with half-sister Sheila Drummond Bowes at a property in Dundee's Douglas area in summer 2011.

I don't think sleeping is the issue here.

Bowes is alleged to have "had sexual intercourse with a person related to him" between July 26, 2011 and August 4, 2011 at a flat in the city's Ballater Place.

The 48-year-old, of Balunie Crescent, Dundee, denies a charge of incest at the city's sheriff court. A trial date has been set for February and Bowes was released on bail until then.

He's 48. Her age isn't given, but it is likely that she is well into adulthood as well. Why is this a crime? It shouldn't be. And if this was consensual sex, is she being charged, too?  If this wasn't consensual, the report is written very poorly and the charges should be rape. If this was consensual, it shouldn't be a criminal matter at all. They should be free to have sex with each other and marry each other, if that is what they want.

Too many questions aren't answered. I do wonder who reported this to the authorities, whether or not they grew up together, and whether or not this is a likely case of Genetic Sexual Attraction.

Don't let this happen to you, lovers. Take steps to protect yourself.

Dancing Around an Elephant?

Advice columnists, I'm sure, get many more inquiries dealing with Gender, Sexuality, and Relationship Diversities (GSRD) than get selected for print, some more direct than others. Here's one that made it. TAKES ONLY TWO TO TANGO wrote to Dear Abby...

I have been dating my boyfriend, "Jose," for a year. Before that, we were friends for five years.

That means she has had a lot of time to get to know him and his behavior.

Ever since I've known him, he and his half-sister, "Blanca," have danced together at parties. We're all in our mid-20s.

They dance salsa, merengue and other styles of music together. I used to think it was cute, but now that Jose and I are a couple, I find it annoying and a little creepy.

So he's doing what he's always done as long as she's know him, but she thinks dancing, or at least least some kinds of dancing, should be restricted to just the two of them now that they are a couple. Unless that was the specific, explicit, mutual agreement they made, there is no reason for him to stop doing what he's always done. She is free to ask him to stop. He is free to say no or to agree. She is free to stop seeing him.

Married Couple Confirm They are Half Siblings

Another case of possible Genetic Sexual Attraction has made news. From chinasmack.com...

In Jiangxi Province, a young married couple were always teased for “looking like each other”. Not long ago, the wife’s father suddenly spoke of a secret: it turns out that many years ago, he and the husband’s mother were secret lovers. Later on, the husband’s mother became pregnant, while the wife’s father fell in love and married someone else. On top of that, the husband’s mother has been dead for over 20 years, so this secret was almost buried forever, up until this young married couple decided to have a child.

Affairs, flings, one-night-stands, divorce/death and subsequent remarriage, etc. have always been a reality in making half-siblings. But now, with sperm, egg, and embryo donations, this is going to be happening more.

In early November, the couple chose to go to the Furong Forensic Centre of the No. 2 Provincial People’s Hospital in Hunan in order to do a DNA test. The results dealt them a heavy blow.

If someone is happy with their partner, they shouldn't let prejudice tear them apart. It is one thing to understand that, another to live it out.

Cao Wei and Xiao Qian (aliases) both grew up in the same city in Jiangxi Province. They lived near each other and had known each other since they were youngsters. Cao Wei is 4 years older than Xiao Qian and always looked after her the way a big brother would. Their relationship gradually began to change ever so subtlety, eventually becoming a romantic relationship.

If they were in each other's life from an early age, then some people would say this doesn't meet the "classic" definition of Genetic Sexual Attraction. However, it could still be an attraction that was based, in part, on shared genes.

On November 20th, legal medical expert and head of the material evidence examination room at the Forensic Centre, Dr Huang Jian, said it was currently unknown how Cao Wei and Xiao Qian would deal with their marriage. She believes that Bao Gen’s irresponsibility not only thoroughly discredits him, but has also deeply hurt his children.

It would hurt a lot less if we supported the right of consenting adults to be together. Did the DNA test reveal any serious genetic risks?

Some of the comments left after the article expressed doubt that this is a real story, but there are people going through this sort of thing all over the world.