I am experiencing some high anxiety today. A professor in my college decided to have a class debate about a topic that he knows I am very passionate about. He knew I would express my concerns and I feel for his trap. The topic was:

When is it okay for a able-minded adult, have sex with an adult that has a intellectual disability(mentally challenged)?

I debated in with 5-7 other students where all of them had the opposite thoughts. I said, it is not okay for a person who doesn't have a mental disability to have sex with someone who does because the person who has the disability is not in the state to understand what he/she is consenting to. They have said yes, but to what degree do they really understand what is happening in their enviorment. they disability limits their understanding and choice making. Where as the adult who doesn't have the disability has the self-awareness of what is happening.

The alarming numbers of how many times a person with disability is being abused in every way in their life is too high and no one is paying attention to it.

Including my teacher and the students they said: they are both adults so it is not rape. The teacher tells me I am wrong.

It was so devasting to hear from others that I am wrong, it made me feel that my concerns are not valid and my passion to protect victims is not needed.

I going have to see this teacher again and I just dont know how comfortable i am going to be.