Why do people differentiate rape and child molestation?

They both exist for the same ends, are both physically abusive, but they exist under different legal descriptions. Is there any reason why child molestation shouldn't just be called rape, aside from the seperate issue of statutory rape?

Because 'molestation' and 'rape' entail two different things? Molestation being touching and rape being sex?

Originally posted by Dr Will Hatch
They both exist for the same ends, are both physically abusive, but they exist under different legal descriptions. Is there any reason why child molestation shouldn't just be called rape, aside from the seperate issue of statutory rape?

Molesting a child does not always entail rape.

Also, many things are physically abusive but not called rape. In fact pretty much everything that isn't rape isn't called rape.

Originally posted by Enyalus
Because 'molestation' and 'rape' entail two different things? Molestation being touching and rape being sex?

No it doesn't. CM means that the molester damaged the kid's sexual being. Isn't that the entire reason it's a crime?

Originally posted by Dr Will Hatch
No it doesn't. CM means that the molester damaged the kid's sexual being. Isn't that the entire reason it's a crime?

Rape necessarily entails sex. Molestation (in a legal sense) doesn't. They're certainly different.

Would unnecessary touching/feeling be considered harassment? There has to be a sexual component to the deed.

Originally posted by Dr Will Hatch
They both exist for the same ends, are both physically abusive, but they exist under different legal descriptions. Is there any reason why child molestation shouldn't just be called rape, aside from the seperate issue of statutory rape?

Wrong.

They're both sexual abuse, but molestation is only making sexual advances while rape means a sexual act actually occured. How hard could that be to tell apart?

Originally posted by Dr Will Hatch
They both exist for the same ends, are both physically abusive, but they exist under different legal descriptions. Is there any reason why child molestation shouldn't just be called rape, aside from the seperate issue of statutory rape?

They exist under different legal descriptions because they are both different acts. The acts of "rape" and "child molestation" are both considered "sexual assault" but, again, this doesn't make them symmetrical in meaning.

Am I the only person with the sense to actually look it up?

http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?typed=rape&type=1

http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?typed=child%20molestation&type=1

All you need to know is in the links provided.

They're both equally fun if you ask me.

Originally posted by lord xyz
Am I the only person with the sense to actually look it up?

http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?typed=rape&type=1

http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?typed=child%20molestation&type=1

All you need to know is in the links provided.

I think most people just knew that already and didn't have to look it up...

Originally posted by lord xyz
Am I the only person with the sense to actually look it up?

http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?typed=rape&type=1

http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?typed=child%20molestation&type=1

All you need to know is in the links provided.

I doubt we all lack sense simply because we didn't look up something that was utterly obvious.