Catherine Elton

Enforcing statutory rape laws, which prohibit adults from having sex with minors, has been promoted by some as an effective method for deterring teenage pregnancy. In the following viewpoint, Catherine Elton asserts that the enforcement of statutory rape laws would only avert a small percentage of teenage pregnancies. Furthermore, she contends, cases of statutory rape are nearly impossible to prosecute because teenage girls are often reluctant to testify against their older boyfriends. Elton is a writer for the New Republic, a weekly magazine that offers opinions on political and social issues.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to statistics cited by Elton, how many fifteen- to seventeen-year-old unmarried teenage girls have babies fathered by men at least four years older"

2. What does Elton propose as an appropriate alternative in some...