Alessandra, Utah
Consent, assault, and rape are understood well before the age of 18. The law recognizes the weight of these heinous acts and punishes them accordingly when committed by and against minors. The arbitrary line drawn between 17 and 18 should not prevent Kavanaugh’s character from being impugned.I am seventeen. I am expected to be responsible, and I expect to be held accountable—whether it’s at work, school, home, or elsewhere. Consent is not incomprehensible to people my age. When I, as a peer educator, teach consent to [others my age], what I am actually doing is adding nuance and firmly expressing its importance, because they are each already aware, despite all their differences, that it is wrong to assault someone."I am seventeen. I am expected to be responsible, and I expect to be held accountable, whether it’s at work, school, home, or elsewhere. Consent is not incomprehensible to people my age."
Daania, Ohio
The more that 17-year-olds are perceived as children, the less faith we put in the future of our world. The more we paint over them, or us, as children, we first, justify inexcusable actions and second, invalidate their thoughts and ideas as childish and manic. When looking at Brett Kavanaugh, it’s crucial to not use his age as justification for his actions, as it implies a 17-year-old's decisions are meaningless."The more that 17-year-olds are perceived as children, the less faith we put in the future of our world."
Samuel, Massachusetts
Yes, I do believe that 17-year-olds should be held accountable for their actions. Seventeen-year-olds do know the consequences of their actions. Moreover, as a 17-year-old I am disgusted by the fact that some people are saying that what someone did as a 17-year-old should not be judged when they are older. However, I do believe people mature, but they should still be held accountable for what they have done and how their actions have affected people’s lives."As a 17-year-old I am disgusted by the fact that some people are saying that what someone did as a 17-year-old should not be judged when they are older."
Cameron, Washington
It is very important that we hold 17-year-olds accountable for their actions. I believe that at this age, when you are almost out of school and a year away from being a legal adult where you are expected to be culpable, you should be more than capable of grasping onto the simple concepts of consent and sexual assault. We should not be just briskly brushing off Kavanaugh’s [alleged] behaviors as it just shows how we continue to allow and push the narrative of rape culture."You should be more than capable of grasping onto the simple concepts of consent and sexual assault."
Avery, Washington
Whenever allegations of a past assault, like those against Kavanaugh come up, the same narrative is always repeated: “Why should he be punished for something that happened so long ago?” On the other hand, when a young person—like Brock Turner, for example—is accused of sexual assault or rape right after it happens, it’s: “Why should we destroy his future over a mistake?” If predators shouldn’t be punished in the now, and they shouldn’t be punished in the future, then when? When do their crimes matter, when do the lives of their victims matter, when should the survivors be able to get justice?Seventeen-year-olds absolutely are capable of understanding what rape and sexual assault is and we can and should be held accountable for our actions, no matter if it’s when we’re 17 or when we’re 53.Every survivor of sexual assault deserves justice, no matter how young their assailant is or how much time has passed."If predators shouldn’t be punished in the now, and they shouldn’t be punished in the future, then when?"
Julia, Ohio
Seventeen-year-olds are a year from being seen and tried as adults. However, a one-year change in age shouldn’t be the single indicator that people who most likely have the same level of maturity that they did a year ago are now responsible for their actions. People commit sexual assault at any age, and the reasons behind it don't change with development of maturity."By portraying Kavanaugh and other teenage sexual assailants as children, we invalidate the impact of their deliberate actions through deflecting the blame from them."
Malavika, Florida
We’ve all made stupid mistakes when we were seventeen. We’ve run red lights. We’ve lost our keys. We’ve skipped class. But there’s one thing that should never belong on any list of stupid teenage mistakes, and that is sexual assault.I’d like to think that I live in a world where the individuals who get to decide the future of women’s rights have more than a basic grasp of consent, respect, and decency. But here’s the thing—men like Brett Kavanaugh have gotten away with behavior like this for far too long, insulated by a society that rewards them for their misogynistic attitudes. And yes, maybe boys will be boys. But you know what else they will be? Held accountable for their actions like the rest of us."We’ve all made stupid mistakes when we were seventeen. We’ve run red lights. We’ve lost our keys. We’ve skipped class. But there’s one thing that should never belong on any list of stupid teenage mistakes, and that is sexual assault."
Ananya, New Jersey
A 17-year old should be held accountable for their actions, and be able to understand consent, because consent is simply part of a decent human being. From a much younger age than 17, children are expected to realize what it takes to be a kind human being—what it is to share, have manners, be respectful to adults, etc. Consent is part of this moral compass, and by 17, an individual should be able to realize that something they are doing is wrong.Even if consent isn't taught by parents, peers, or sexual education, sexual assault really comes down to someone not having or listening to a voice tells them: "This is wrong.""A 17-year old should be held accountable for their actions, and be able to understand consent, because consent is simply part of a decent human being."
Shannon, Connecticut
No 17-year-old girl has the privilege of ignoring the reality of sexual assault. It lurks in the shadows of the decisions we make, dictating whether or not we feel safe in our own bodies. At seventeen, I am a first-year student at Yale, at the same college where Kavanaugh once belonged to a fraternity infamous for demeaning women, a vulgar organization that still exists decades later. There is no reason why 17-year-old boys should not be considered old enough to understand the parameters of consent; girls are consistently held responsible for their actions far earlier, even and especially when they are victims of assault themselves.My life is worth more than can be dismissed as the carnage of a teenage boy's mistakes. My future should not be predicated on society’s refusal to hold men accountable.Leila Ettachfini contributed reporting.Correction: This story originally identified Senate Orrin Hatch as a senator of Iowa. He is a senator of Utah. We regret the error."My life is worth more than can be dismissed as the carnage of a teenage boy's mistakes. My future should not be predicated on society’s refusal to hold men accountable."