Author: Carla Plieth, Institut für Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft (Institute of Linguistics and Literary Studies), Technische Universität Darmstadt (Technical University of Darmstadt) - Academia.edu, ORCID, ResearchGate

Abstracts:
- »This chapter investigates the educational potential of young adult (YA) fiction concerning sexual abuse, coercion, grooming, and consent in scenarios of intergenerational sexual relationships – that is, statutory rape. Intergenerational relationships are often considered coercive and abusive in Western contexts, with minors under a certain age being denied the ability to consent to sexual activity with an adult. Literature also often sees an uncritical normalisation, even romanticising, of power imbalances in intergenerational relationships. Despite many refraining from labelling intergenerational relationships as abusive and coercive per se, educators continuously seek tools to teach children and adolescents how to recognise (sexual) coercion and abuse and take protective measures. Providing an original analysis of Lesléa Newman’s Jailbait (2005) and Sonya Sones’ The Opposite of Innocent (2018), which outline the harm and danger of two teenage girls being groomed by and engaging in sexual relationships with older men, this chapter evaluates the three communication levels of fictional mediation, action, and non-fictional communication within YA fiction regarding their potential to inform both the protagonists and the implied adolescent reader of the nature of sexual coercion and consent and provide means for reflection.« (Source: Taylor & Francis Online)

- »Carla Plieth’s chapter, “Sexual Abuse, Coercion, and Consent: Mediating Statutory Rape in Young Adult Literature”, investigates the educational potential of young adult (YA) fictions projecting sexual abuse, coercion, grooming, and consent in scenarios of intergenerational sexual relationships – that is, statutory rape. The chapter provides an original analysis of Lesléa Newman’s Jailbait (2005) and Sonya Sones’ The Opposite of Innocent (2018), which outline the harm and danger of two teenage girls being groomed by and engaging in sexual relationships with older men. Intergenerational relationships are often considered coercive and abusive in Western contexts, with minors under a certain age not considered eligible to consent to sexual activity with an adult. Literature also often sees an uncritical normalisation, even romanticising, of power imbalances in intergenerational relationships. Despite the fact that many sources refrain from labelling intergenerational relationships as abusive and coercive per se, educators continuously seek tools to teach children and adolescents how to recognise (sexual) coercion and abuse and take protective measures. This chapter evaluates the three communication levels of fictional mediation, action, and non-fictional communication within YA fiction regarding their potential to inform both the protagonists and the implied adolescent reader of the nature of sexual coercion and consent and provide a means for reflection. In addition to defining sexual coercion, the chapter refutes the popular belief that sexual coercion is mostly committed by strangers. This chapter’s educative and theoretical potential in recognising coercion and the grooming of adolescent girls entering intimate relationships and gradual erosion of trust makes it a significant contribution to this book.« (Source: Chatterjee, Saradamoyee, et al. »Introduction.« Coercion and Trust: A Multi-Disciplinary Dialogue. Edited by y Saradamoyee Chatterjee et al. London 2024: 7)

Contents:

	Introduction (p. 41)
	Young Adult Literature (p. 45)
	Level of Fictional Mediation (p. 46)
	Level of Action (p. 49)
	Level of Non-fictional Communication (p. 51)
	Conclusion (p. 54)
	References (p. 56)

Wikipedia: History of the Americas: History of the United States | Literature: American literature / Lesléa Newman, Sonya Sones | Sex and the law: Rape / Statutory rape, Rape in the United States