A Man’s Sweet Sixteen

STORY BY KRISTINA CZARINA TRINIDAD

SPELLCHECK; pedophilia. Here to help you spell and tell.

Pedophilia means having sexual attraction or interest towards young teens or children. No different to grooming, where one builds trust and slowly break bounds to shape the young mind.

Eyed by the damned, she became the girl of his dreams. He was twenty-one, she was thirteen. He even claimed it himself, he started making moves on her at such a young age. Soon, his dreams are set to come true- the price? He’s now the one who’s eyed by everyone.

Daring, dainty, and a darling. He saw her just as that. The prettiest in the crowd he’d ever seen, ribbons in her hair and her bambi eyes gleamed mean.

Once she shut her eyes and blew that candle to smokes, she was sixteen- his sweet sixteen. Her chapter had started, only a book where he starred. The coming of age, literally.

Philippines always took this issue lightlyat least the majority of the elderly. It was common to wait and court for a teenage girl back in the day where it was black and white. If we were in America, this would be considered as controversial and unethical.

He wouldn’t see the light of day.

It’s important to consider that only the vic- tims can claim that they are groomed. Many of us have been overusing the term and forgetting what it means. We have to ask questions. Was she abused? Manipulated? Exploited? Was she totally dependent to him and helpless? She's the only one who can answer, yet she's kept her mouth shut.

Likewise, it’s still uncanny that he watched her grow up like a routine, wooed her when she was a pre-teen, until now some of his unethical actions remain unseen, and she was his sweet little sixteen.

In retrospect, even if we consider unanswered queries, we can’t deny that what he did was wrong. Thirteen year olds are elementary students who are moving up, thirteen year olds are still going through puberty. And he was twenty one. A whole adult.

And all this time, for twelve years, they kept this sickening relationship hidden from the public eye, dodging those who are catching on. Most have agreed that he hid it for the sole purpose of keeping his face because he preyed on a child star.

Numerous celebrities have revealed how they were sexualized and manipulated as a star on the making. How their little minds were exploited. The dark side of showbiz, the bottom of the iceberg. She was the child star of his sick movie. That’s the spelling