There seems to be creeping immorality out there.

The language used to describe some of the sexual assaults that are becoming more and more prominent is very important. One of the early lessons I received when I was reading lots of philosophy was valuing how words are used. The lesson was – call things by their most straightforward and accurate names.

This is because meanings can be obscured by adding unnecessary qualifiers and other extra words, creating phrases that can lessen the impact of the direct meaning.

In the current environment of the rise of sexual assault of children, there is a tendency in many media reports to minimize the impact of what are clearly crimes. I don’t know if it’s sympathy for the perpetrators, lack of concern for the children, an attempt to be inoffensive so as to not upset consumers, or something else.

But I do know that when I these weasel-words being used and the victims involved are children, I am not generous.

Watch out for these:

“underage women” – there is no such thing. Underage means child.

“child prostitute” – children cannot give legal consent. They’re sexual assault victims.

“sex with minors, underage women, etc.” – this is rape.

“non-consensual sex” – this is weasel-wording for rape.