Sex Crimes
Eighteen Is Old Enough for War But Not Sexting, Say Ohio Lawmakers
The House Criminal Justice Committee just voted unanimously in favor of a bill to ban sexting by anyone under age 19.
Lifetime GPS Tracking Is Not Punishment, Says Wisconsin Supreme Court
The court relies on a debunked recidivism estimate to justify tagging and surveillance of sex offenders.
Federal Prisons Scaling Back Accommodations for Transgender Inmates
New amendments to rules default to placing prisoners on the basis of their "biological sex."
Sex by Impersonation = Rape, Says Iowa Supreme Court
An interesting question, which some other courts have answered otherwise.
A Jury Rejected the Charges, but He Still Has to Register As a Sex Offender for Life
New York's highest court says accusations can be considered for registration purposes even when the defendant was acquitted.
The Sex Trafficking Charges Against Smallville Actress Allison Mack Are Totally Bogus
The federal charges against Mack highlight how human trafficking hysteria harms vulnerable women.
Pardon Jack Johnson
The White Slavery Panic of the late 19th/early 20th centuries caused Congress to pass the vaguely-worded Mann Act. It allowed the FBI and prosecutors broad discretion to go after individuals they didn't like.
Writing Sex Offender Laws Based on Fake Recidivism Numbers Is Rational, Court Says
The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously upholds a law banning sex offenders from public parks.
Backpage Founder's 93 Charges Lack Actual Sex-Trafficking Claims
Indictment reveals money-laundering, conspiracy charges, and a tricky federal law known as the Travel Act.
Is There a 'Rape Culture' on College Campuses? Watch the Debate.
Journalist Cathy Young faces off against sociologist Michael Kimmel-with opening standup from comedian Dave Smith.
New Backpage Ruling Lays Bare Some of the Lies Undergirding FOSTA
The ruling allows a civil suit against Backpage to proceed for one of the case's three plaintiffs.
Live Debate 3/19 in NYC: Is There a Rape Culture on College Campuses?
On Monday, March 19 in New York, Cathy Young and Michael Kimmel will debate whether campuses are unsafe for women. Buy tickets today or watch live!
Should We Abolish the Sex Offender Registry? A Debate.
Watch sociologist Emily Horowitz debate legal scholar Marci Hamilton at the Soho Forum.
Should the Sex Offender Registry Be Abolished? A Live Debate.
Watch Sociologist Emily Horowitz vs. Marci Hamilton of CHILD USA at the Soho Forum.
9th Circuit Revives Suit by Couple Whose Children Were Seized Over Bathtime Photos
A social worker took three little girls from their home without a court order because she thought the pictures were "sexually explicit."
4th Circuit Approves Imprisonment of Sex Offender Convicted of a Nonexistent Crime
Although his conviction was invalid, the appeals court says, his civil commitment as a "sexually dangerous person" remains legal.
The Handmaid's Tale Author Margaret Atwood Accused of Crimes Against Feminism for Defending Due Process
Atwood: "In times of extremes, extremists win. Their ideology becomes a religion."
Duped by State Detectives, Pennsylvania Police Chief Shows Up at Sheetz Gas Station for Sex With Underage Girl
Chief Michael Diebald was allegedly undeterred when the "girl" said she was in eighth grade-"everyone has to have a first time," he told her.
Starting in 2018, Life in Prison for Oregon Sex Crimes
Locking people up in perpetuity "may satisfy our sense of moral outrage, but it does not make good policy," opponents warn.
How Roy Moore Failed to Reassure Voters He Is Not a Sexual Predator
A hazy memory, self-contradiction, and dubious debunking efforts helped seal the GOP Senate candidate's fate.
Tampa Bathhouses Become Latest Target of Sex-Trafficking Panic
The city council is considering a mammoth package of new rules that threaten Tampa bathhouses and those who visit them.
Court to Cops: Forcing a Teenager to Masturbate in Front of You Is Not Reasonable
A detective who was later charged with molesting children performed the humiliating search while investigating consensual sexting.
The Harder It Is to Believe Roy Moore, the Cozier He Gets With the GOP
Trump's endorsement and the RNC's renewed support coincide with a crescendo of self-contradiction.
Teen Suing Two Cops for Rape Gets Hospital Visit From Nine Others on Force
The two NYPD officers admitted they had sex with the young woman in their custody but claim it was consensual.
Trump Tacitly Endorses Roy Moore, Noting His Denials 12 Times
The president says he may campaign for the Republican Senate candidate, notwithstanding credible allegations of sexual assault.
Roy Moore's Defenses Contradict Each Other
The Republican Senate candidate tries to discredit an accuser he said he didn't know by noting that he presided over her divorce case.
Thomas Massie on Tax Reform, Shikha Dalmia on Deporting Americans
Listen to SiriusXM Insight (channel 121) from 9-12 AM ET as Matt Welch interviews Massie, Dalmia, Kevin Williamson, Bethany Mandel, and LSD enthusiast Daniel Miller
Roy Moore Could Be Digging His Own Grave By Denying Any Contact With His Accusers
If the he is lying about courthouse chats and restaurant meals, he is probably lying about his alleged crimes too.
Chaos in Africa, Apologias in Alabama, and the Rise of Democratic Socialism
Matt Welch interviews Eli Lake, Kat Timpf, and John Nichols on SiriusXM Insight at 2 pm ET
Roy Moore Concedes Fondling a 14-Year-Old Would Disqualify a Senate Candidate
That is farther than some of his defenders are willing to go.
Under Alabama Law, Roy Moore's Alleged Encounter With a Teenager Is a Serious Crime With Lifelong Consequences
The Republican Senate candidate would still be paying for his actions four decades later.
Roy Moore Read Me Love Poetry
A detail in the allegations against the Alabama Senate candidate rings true. He read me the poems he used to woo his much-younger wife.
No Bail for Wisconsin Cop Nabbed for Sex Chat With Teen
Snapchat and Facebook exchanges with a 15-year-old have Wisconsin officer Basil O'Kimosh facing life in prison.
Scarlet-Letter Passports Are Unjust and Irrational
The new "unique identifier" for sex offenders stigmatizes people who pose no threat.
Harvey Weinstein's Downfall Marks the Rise of Sexual Equality
The Harvey Weinstein story is not just about the end of a career. It's about the end of an era.
Cops Claim Teen Consented to Sex in Their Custody, Point Prosecutors to Her 'Provocative' Selfies
Repeat after me, NYPD: Instagram is not consent.
Comedians Should Make Jokes About Harvey Weinstein. We Rely on Them to Tell Tough Truths.
Sometimes jokes are the only way to bring terrible open secrets to light.
Cyrus Vance Is a Product of Dangerous One-Party Rule
When elected officials regularly run unopposed, there's no democratic accountability.