Geez. Where I grew up the major sex education course was in Grade 6. You know when everybody in that grade went to the gym/auditorium for a full afternoon for 2 days (one day we learned about the men the next day women). In grade 5 we were given a small class on it.
Grade 9 is way too fracking late. It has to happen at about 11 years of age (which is grade 5/6).
as for this story I think we can be assured of one thing: this is a scene that will be disturbing and is intended to be disturbing. It is not some ode to pedophilia.
Dakota Fanning is a talented actress that is reaching an age where she will be looking to take challenging roles. This will be a challenge and i'm quite sure she's mature enough and smart enough to understand the controversy and the subject matter. Everything I have ever read about her says she controls her career and she chooses her roles from the scripts she gets. I firmly believe there was thorough discussion about the nature of the movie/scene with everyone involved in this movie and an understanding was reached.
Until we see it it is hard to judge. As well, the reporter uses the phrase "half-nude"...I'm not sure what that means to be perfectly honest. It doesn't have to mean topless or bottomless but instead could be a shot of her bare back or whatever. Again until we see it and understand the full context of the scene it is impossible to pass judgement one way or the other.
There was a similar controversy a few years back with oscar winning film American Beauty. Thora Birch was topless. She was 15 or 16 when it was filmed. Many people were up in arms over it. Then you watched the movie and found out that it was an honest scene and genuine scene that belonged in the movie. There was controversy with Brooke Shields. Just last year there was controversy with nicole kidman in "Birth" being in a tub with a 10 year old boy. Watching the film it was again an honest and genuine film where the scene fit.
Now obviously the scene being a rape scene on this one adds even more seriousness but I think you have to see the film and the scene before condemning it.
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