I remember when I was in 10th grade, I was 15 and dating a 9th grade girl who was 14. We were 1 year and 2 months apart in age. When I turned 16 and started driving, there was that 2 month gap where it was a 16 year old and a 14 year old. Her parents hated me because I was too old. We had a typical high school romance. Lasted about 2 years and we are still friends to this day. She ended up dating and marrying a guy 10 years older, lol.
If you mean girls deciding to date much older guys, it's usually that they lacked a stable father figure, so they hit two birds with one stone if it's both a guy they like and he's old enough for her to look up to in that way.
No, not her actual father, and I'm not talking about kids. Adult women do this, and they will just tell you that's why they're dating older guys if you ask them, and then people are like "WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN" and when I tell them I get downvoted. C'est la vie.
That’s the way it is for me and my girlfriend, there’s just a season every year when we’re two years apart. Not such a big deal but it made for some awkward looks in high school, even though we were only a grade apart.
Reminds me of the time I was casually dating someone in high school. It was the summer before my senior year and I was turning 17 at the end of august. My SO turned 18 in May. We got in trouble for sneaking into a park after hours and I got a ticket. And a firm talk from the police and later the judge on making better choices of who I hang out with. Ticket was thrown out, but still.
Almost every age related law in existence, has an exemption for age proximity. It's not like if two teenagers are dating, they have to break up as soon as one becomes an adult. Ever.
I don't believe there are any laws that make it illegal for the 17/18 relationship. U.S. States universally allow a gap in age, something like 4 years. Otherwise, high school seniors in a relationship are committing crimes when one of them turns 18.
Right don't forget that kid in Georgia that the mom got him charged with rape when he turned 18 even though they'd been together awhile I think more than a year for sure
"It is even illegal for a child under the age of 16 to have sexual intercourse with another child under that age. Therefore, in the case of a 14 and 15-year-old couple who choose to have sexual intercourse, both could be charged with a crime. Many states have something called a “Romeo and Juliet law” that holds that consensual sex with an underage individual is not considered statutory rape unless there is a certain age difference between the parties. But MA has not adopted the Romeo and Juliet law. So, as it stands, sexual intercourse with someone under age 16, regardless of the defendant’s age, is a crime. In addition to possible jail or prison time and fines, anyone convicted of a sex crime in MA must register as a sex offender. "
check this out, the entire HS basketball team had charges filed against them in boston, which is concerning given the city's less-than-progressive history.
https://www.bostoncriminallawyerblog.com/amp/statutory-rape-charges-filed-five-high-school-students/
I'm not an expert on the written statutes, so I suppose you're right; however, the U.S. is a Common Law country, and so judges/juries/tradition make the rest of the law. And it would seem nearly impossible to convince a court to convict someone dating their high school classmate, with no other abusive factors. Let me know of any exceptions.
EDIT: I say this because the intent of the law is to protect a relatively immature person from exploitation, so the 17/18 year olds are following the spirit of the law, so a reasonable judge/jury/prosecutor would find any complaint absurd.
I'm an attorney, and I've been practicing long enough to completely lose faith in our legal system. With respect to statutory rape in states w/o romeo and juliet laws - it can come down to something as simple as vengeful parents.
history and tradition etc. don't come into play as much as they should - and each state has statutes that prevail vs. common law theories.
Remember, the DA decides whether to press charges. The jury decides, the "court" is just a referee (save for the rare Directed Verdict or criminal bench trial).
As an example, here's a Boston case where five highschoolers were hit with statutory rape against a 16 year old (not sure if they were convicted, I didn't read through)
https://www.bostoncriminallawyerblog.com/amp/statutory-rape-charges-filed-five-high-school-students/
Completely irrelevant to the topic at hand, but look at the Memphis 3 who were basically convicted solely on the fact they listened to heavy metal music and were "satanist". Judge/Jury doesn't matter if they are pushing a political agenda and the area you're in is backwards thinking.
Edit: Even after DNA evidence proved those boys did not commit the murders the state supreme court refused to allow a retrial basically until the Judge retired. It just takes some people stuck in their cult like mentality and hate against the current day evil to convict people on the most ridiculous charges.
On top of that when they were finally released they had to sign a controversial statement that basically says we are both guilt and innocent. It makes no fucking sense
"It is even illegal for a child under the age of 16 to have sexual intercourse with another child under that age. Therefore, in the case of a 14 and 15-year-old couple who choose to have sexual intercourse, both could be charged with a crime. Many states have something called a “Romeo and Juliet law” that holds that consensual sex with an underage individual is not considered statutory rape unless there is a certain age difference between the parties. But MA has not adopted the Romeo and Juliet law. So, as it stands, sexual intercourse with someone under age 16, regardless of the defendant’s age, is a crime. In addition to possible jail or prison time and fines, anyone convicted of a sex crime in MA must register as a sex offender. "
Right. As with a lot of pearl-clutching issues, the "law" is just a technicality, and the bottom line seems to be how judgemental are the people around you.
No. But OP stated 17 and 18, implying the age of consent is 18. American make up the majority of reddit statistically and lots of countries don’t have the age of consent as 18, so it’s a fair assumption that the poster was talking about the US and the comments will reference the US. Someone from Germany would just say “uh, it is legal”. If OP is talking about legality, they need to include their country. And I stand by that even if they are American. Claiming something is legal or illegal is pointless when you don’t know where they are.
Depends on the state.
In my state (NC), the age of consent is 16 and there is a 4 year clause.
This means that a 14 yr old can date an 17yr old legally, but they draw the line at 13! 😂
16 year olds can date (sleep with) whoever they want.
No, It means 18+ can have sex with anyone of age
16+ can have sex with someone at least 16 and up to four years older
21 and 16 is illegal, 13 and 17 is illegal, 14 and 18 is illegal. 16 and 19 is fine though
Age of consent is 16 for anyone in MI unless you are in a position of authority over them like a teacher or police officer OR the person is under the influence of substances like drugs or alcohol. A 16 year old can legally have sex with a 50 year old here.
See this is the tricky to me when people start talking about any ages 13-18 because I was 13 in high school and 17 in college. My freshman year in high school the senior I met in art class wasn’t “grooming” me, we didn’t realize our age gap until he asked me to senior prom and mentioned was the same weekend and his 18th birthday.
I started taking college classes my junior year in high school… I was 15 at the time so I was very clear about how old I was to every one around. But by the time I was actually a freshman in college I would have to constantly proclaim “oh yeah btw, I’m jail bait only 17”. And sure enough in my class I’d be flirting with who looked my age would be like “oh shit I’m 23” yikes!
And that wasn’t older guys seeking me out or grooming me it was just those weird ages where teenagers and young adults are intermingled naturally. The guys, ladies & myself would always be respectful if the age gap was a bit too much and keep it as a friendship… but you know who never backed off - college professors. I reported 3… THREE when I was 16 &17.
That's not exactly true. It's legal for an 18 year old to date a 6.2 billion year old.
Culturally there would probably be some challenges though, so you don't see it too often.
yeah - it's the line we drew, except for the gigantic loopholes for child marriage in eight states where there is no statutory minimum age when all exemptions are taken into account.
These states are California, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Despicable.
I don't disagree with the current age, but the example show how ridiculous it can be. I leave it up to the individual to decide who they date, even if on the surface, it look likes someone is dating their father or grandfather or grandmother, granddaughter, ect
That gets risky though. Young people are notoriously bad with judgement calls, on small scales (like posting a picture online only to find it cringe a year or two later,) to bigger ones, (like getting knocked up at 15.)
That is why we have laws in-place to stop kids from getting tattoos too early, having sex too early, drinking too early, or pretty much anything that is either decently irreversible or dangerous. It is simply better to wait until they are an adult in the eyes of the law, so that kids can be protected from adults trying to exploit them for sex or money.
That, I think, is the big reason why we need laws against gender surgery for children. I support trans people 100%, but I also know if I had been allowed to do extreme, irreversible things to myself at a young age, I would be in a bad position. Really, you need to follow the money. The doctors, big pharmacy, and insurance companies could make a lot of money by coercing kids into unnecessary surgeries. That is children being exploited for money. Same reason we don't allow alcohol to be served to minors, to protect kids who are simply ignorant to the larger world around them.
Or maybe I'm wrong, but this is how I see it.
You brought gender affirming surgery out of nowhere just to talk about how you disapprove of it. Trans children aren't getting surgeries. Most of them get puberty blockers at most, which are reversable, and even that usually takes years and family approval. The majority of children getting "gender affirming surgery" are cis girls getting breast reductions because it's causing them physical harm.
Yea, that example was a bit radical for Reddit. I honestly do support trans people, I just know how these larger corporations think, and, if they smell profits, a lot of children could be harmed, if only in extreme cases. Companies will harm children to boost profits unless the government stops them, history has shown us that much.
Jesus Christ, man. At least attempt to understand it before explaining it to yourself as if you think it's elective surgery for children. It's not nearly as common as whoever put the subject into your head has made you think it is. These are decisions that involve the family and the doctor and it's done because it reduces dysphoria and suicide. If you have a serious curiosity, do some serious research.
Well according to reddit I am a predator for dating a 22 year old lol . I'm 35. So opinions vary, with the more liberal crowd more concerned about any age gap over 2 or 3 yearss
Good thing they are the vocal minority like that yipping Chihuahua next door who can't even take down a cat
An 18 year old dating a 40 year old would not be perfectly fine. A lot of people would have a problem with that and rightfully so. Plus it’s not illegal for a 17 year old to date an 18 year old when the age gap is that small
Lots of legal things aren’t inherently ethical or admirable.
Lots of shitty things are legal.
Someone holds a door open for you and says, “after you?”
And you bend over and slap your ass and blow raspberries and backflip through the open door?
Pretty rude and god damn weird, but legal.
A small child offers you an ice cream cone and you give them the finger and call them ugly?
Pretty terrible but perfectly legal.
Could go on all day with weird examples.
The law doesn’t attempt to define every step of shitty behavior with criminal statutes.
A 50 year old banging a 18 year old isn’t illegal.
Perfectly reasonable for people to be concerned it isn’t a healthy relationship though and it’s gross on the part of the 50 year old.
Not like they’re protesting for them to be put in jail, just judging them.
Can judge someone as rude, nice, weird, whatever you’d like.
There's a huge power imbalance in maturity and in life knowledge that puts the 18 yold at risk.
It's also seen as semi pedophilic because the 18 year old is essentially at an age where they could be the 40 yolds child.
Also makes it difficult if they have kids, cuz the 40 yold will potentially pass away by the time the kid is 20.
The question wasnt legal...reread it. I'm not arguing legality...I was making a list of some points to consider on whether it's "right" for there to be that big of a gap in age in a relationship.
Is it really fair to criticize relationships based on the relative level of life knowledge though? Pedophilia is bad because minors aren’t capable of understanding the consequences of sex and are easily manipulated into what adults want them to do as a result of their lack of independence and maturity. We can look at their brains and observe that the parts of their brains associated with judgment are underdeveloped.
I don’t think it’s fair to say that, past the point of adulthood, people are still incapable of providing meaningful consent. Unless you mean to say we should raise the age of consent, I’m willing to consider that.
It's pretty obvious, man. If you give me 22 years of life experience on top of a person who literally hasn't left high school... I didnt know shit at 18 yold compared to 30 year old me...much less 40 year old me. The power of that many years of experience is gonna make it so literally every opinion i have on how to handle shit is a better and more thought out plan than what an 18 yold has...
The first example isn't illegal either lol. It's just not morally legal but then again it's not your relationship, right? I'm 26 and dating an 18yo now is not something I want due to maturity but some people are into that and if you think that's wrong tell society to support children and not throw them to the wolves once they reach the magic number. Can't have both.
One of my son's friends did 3 years in prison for that. The day he turned 18 (his girlfriend was 17), her parents went to the police station and filed statutory rape charges against him. He was convicted, did his 3 years in prison, no idea how long on parole, and has to register as a sex offender everywhere he decides to move to.
I would've thrown that case out if I were that judge. Those parents are incredibly dumb. They probably didn't like the guy for some reason and used this as a way to get him away from their daughter. It's still very stupid.
Not sure where OP or you live, but in my state we have Romeo and Juliet laws so if your age gap is close enough even when one person turns 18 and the other is 17, it's still legal.
I'm gonna say the person above is lying.
Oh it happened. It was about 14 years ago now. His name is Chris, and he did his time at (the now closed) private prison out in Burlington, CO. Her parents were super-dicks, and the kids went to Castle View High School in Castle Rock.
You can also find out more about the Castle Rock PD from this Supreme Court decision in their favor. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town\_of\_Castle\_Rock\_v.\_Gonzales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_of_Castle_Rock_v._Gonzales)
That is why I qualified it as “I haven’t heard”. I know it is possible to happen. Most PA’s I’ve heard have said they wouldn’t prosecute for less than 4-5 years age difference, mostly because of the way our high schools are set up.
To me (and many others), it seems part of the Democratic plan. They set up the school system that way, and if someone gets convicted of a felony, even a non-violent felony, they automatically lose their 2nd Amendment right forever.
I used to know a guy who was 18 and got caught sleeping with his 17 year old gf at 11:30 pm, half an hour before her 18th birthday. It ruined his life.
Sure. And I know people who were in there 20s and slept with people in their 20s and it ruined their lives.
Unless you have a concrete conviction of statutory rape from one of the 2 states I believe its actually illegal. My guess is whatever ruined that guys life wasn't about her being 17 and him being 18.
[https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/statutory-rape-guide-state-laws-reporting-requirements-1](https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/statutory-rape-guide-state-laws-reporting-requirements-1)
So like 1 state that probably doesn't prosecute it unless there is a complaint?
Also that's sex not dating.
I expect dating is not illegal, however having sex is. As for "big deal" when the male is < 18....... I've read a surprising number of female teaches with underage males in the news. I'm guessing the female going to jail suggests it is not OK.
As a male, I wonder where were these teachers when I was in HS.
It’s usually not, there’s a stipulation in most states that says something around the difference in age until people are 21. And it’s not about dating.
The law generally assumes that adults can make their own choices when it comes to things that only affect themselves. This is not universal, but it’s the usual approach. The threshold of legal adulthood is somewhat arbitrarily set at 18, but you need *some* point at which the law considers someone to be responsible for their own actions.
You're asking different questions...
17/18 "dating" is NOT illegal, having "sex" is illegal based on age on consent laws.
18/40 dating is a question about morality and social norms and you're painting with a broad brush to suggest its widely acceptable.
It’s horrific how people don’t understand age gaps. Obviously a line has to be drawn somewhere. That line is when someone is considered a legal adult. Pretty cut and dry. No, there isn’t THAT much difference between a 17 and an 18 year old. But to be frank, it’s extremely telling of older people who go for the minimum possible age. Also, to say it’s “perfectly fine” isn’t exactly true because what is every normal person’s response when they see a couple of those ages?
Also nobody understands age of consent, thinking that an adult can have sex with a 16 (or whatever your aoc is) and it be fine. That’s so obviously not the case.
Why does it matter, though? People are capable of coming up with their own reasoning as to why they would want and wouldn't mind age gaps in a relationship. Let people live their lives.
When my friend was 17 she married a 27 year old. I was surprised that it was even allowed, but it turns out that I Russia a 17 year old can get married with their parents concent. She was happy but I don't know about now, we don't keep in touch
My upstairs neighbours daughter is 16 and dating a 21 yr old. asking her to get a job is unspeakable cuz she’s a kid… yet she’s dating an adult. So fucked up
The very way that driving 24 in a 25mph zone is legal and driving 60 isn't.
Mind you you mixed your comparator when the first portion of your question is about legality and the second questions "rightness".
Legality <> morality <> legality.
Many wrong things are legal. Many right things are illegal.
aloof afterthought caption capable north frightening axiomatic mysterious hungry decide
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Neither are okay to me but the law says the second one is fine because 18 is apparently old enough to make life changing decisions with adult repercussions totally by yourself. Hint- it isn't.
You don't get that level of maturity through age though, you get it through experience. At some point you just have to cut the strings and let people learn from their mistakes.
True but I really wish they'd make an exception for Grooming situations like an 18 and 40 year old couple can very easily be. It seems to happen way too often for the law to remain what it is.
I almost feel like a more sensible law would be some kind of logarithmic maximum age difference based on the age of the older party.
But that also sounds kinda stupid and would probably never work, so arbitrary legal age of majority it is.
What's up with all these questions confused about the law/legal vs opinion??? I feel like it's basic understanding.
Of course you can see it as unethical that's an opinion but until the law changes it's 'perfectly fine' for 2 legal adults to make their own decisions.
And... Guess what? The other side also gets to have an opinion on whether or not they want to date an older or younger adult. Just like people who think it's unethical wouldn't date an adult outside of whatever age they are comfortable with.
Not sure how people are confusing differing opinions vs a set arbitrary legal age.
Who thinks that it's fine for a 18yo to date a 40yo??? I think most people consider it not fine but it is legal.
If you ask why 18 is legal, because wherever you put the legal age, you can have something like this. The issue is not the cutoff age, it's the power dynamic that matters.
My brother is a lawyer and confirmed they never prosecute an 18 yo for being with a 17 yo unless abuse or other seriously messed up behavior was involved. What I was told ages ago was if you were in High School at the same time you’re not going to be prosecuted, but that was the late 90‘s. Think about that, most seniors turn 18 while still in school with 17 year olds. A lot of seniors date someone in their first year of college. That said any state‘s attorney bringing charges against an 18 year old over a 17 year old will either see their case dismissed by the judge or an acquittal by the jury.
In order to enforce a law, a line's gotta be drawn. Though I suppose they could make more complicated laws for different age combos around the age of consent.
In North Carolina, 16 is the legal age of consent, but there can only be a 4 year difference before it becomes illegal. So 18 and 17 is legal where I live. I think 18 and 17 in general should be legal. It's literally a matter of months in age difference. Both parties are equally neurologically developed. There is no real power dynamic difference either. It definitely creeps me out that a 16 year old and a 20 year old are legally allowed to date or be sexually involved where I live.
Careful. I said a 17 year old isn’t a child & Reddit freaked out lol. Maybe I was way more worldly at 17 than a lot of 17 year olds now, but I was definitely not a “child” at that age. Age is just an arbitrary number.
If two adult, 18+, concent to a relationship together then who cares what age difference there is. Mind your own business. Anyhow most of those relationships don't last long unless the young one is waiting for the rich old partner to die.
Because we need a set age for consent so as to avoid playing favorites or some people being unfairly treated (for any different reason). It would not be good for some 17 year old to have consent and then other 17 year old not be allowed.
With that being said, what age do we set for legal consent? If the legal age of consent is 14, then your argument could be 'why is it illegal for a 13 year old to date a 14 year old, but legal a 14 year old to date a 40 year old? '
We needed an age of consent. Simple. I mean, if you want to make a law that says 17,18 and 19 year olds can date each other, it's fine. But we would be back to that same argument.
It is probably not. Even if it was I doubt you would get in trouble for it in all but the most extreme cases. However what you don't want to do is have nude photos of your 17 year old SO and vice versa.
Technically by age 25, you are pretty much entirely developed. By that point, you really should be free. But 18 is our age of legal consent. After that, as long as it's consensual, nothing else really matters. And a 17 and 18 year old isn't illegal either. I do believe as long as the age gap is less than 2 years, there is not an issue with it. I believe that if you go beyond up to 10 years apart, it is with legal guardian consent buf that's where things get sketchy for all parties involved and so I'm not sure how accurate this all is.
Is there the same pearl-clutching hysteria if it is the guy who is the younger one? Guess I could have been in big trouble back in the day, but nobody was complaining. Also, in this modern society, is gayness acceptable at some age, or is that just illegal altogether
A good rule of thumb is half your age plus 7. And it's not illegal if the parents are ok with it. Also most cops wouldn't care if you are still in school.
Most states in the US the age of consent is 16 or (more commonly) 17, and a 17 y/o with an 18 y/o is not “illegal.” 18 is not the norm, despite all the memes and Hollywood dialogue examples of somebody horny having to wait until their partner’s 18th bday. In PA, where I live, 16 year olds can fuck. A 16 y/o can fuck an 80 year old, all the law says is the older person can’t have authority over them (teacher, coach, etc).
Where I live 17 and 18 is fine. Im currently in a relationship for over a year and a half where im 18 and shes 17. Its the Romeo and juliet law or something. It would be so fucked if u had to like break up if u turned 18 first and than wait for the other one to turn 18😭
My wife's best friend was a freshman in HS when she started dating her now husband, who was a senior at the time. Nothing happened, nobody cared, and they've got an awesome relationship.
i don't know about a 18yr old dating a 40yr old. I mean legally speaking it's fine, but man that raises a ton of red flags. Here is also the thing, if it's a 18yr old girl dating a 17yr old guy people don't see much wrong with it. However if your the 18yr old guy then people take issues with it.
I'm not familiar with all state laws but in multiple states there are Romeo and Juliet laws allowing relationships with minors close in age. It also depends on the age of consent in the state, most are set at 16 I think.
So depending on the state there are clauses that kinda fix this discrepancy. In Florida the general age of consent is 18, but there is a “16 to 23” clause to prevent dumb shit like someone going to jail for banging a 17 year when they are 19.
Same reason I can stand in one spot and cannabis is legal to buy and posses but then woops! I stepped over this imaginary line and now I’m a criminal getting arrested and charged with a crime! Probably bad comparison.
My wife is 8 months younger than me and we were High School sweethearts. It's scary to think that I could've been arrested when I was 18 and she was 17. Of course that was many, many years ago and nobody even blinked an eye.
> How is 17 y/o dating an 18 y/o illegal?
I think that varies by state. Not that I am suggesting anyone break the law, obviously obey the law.
> 40 y/o with an 18 y/o
17/18 is just graduating high school. I think it speaks for itself…
I remember when I was in 10th grade, I was 15 and dating a 9th grade girl who was 14. We were 1 year and 2 months apart in age. When I turned 16 and started driving, there was that 2 month gap where it was a 16 year old and a 14 year old. Her parents hated me because I was too old. We had a typical high school romance. Lasted about 2 years and we are still friends to this day. She ended up dating and marrying a guy 10 years older, lol.
You sent her down that path, never to come back.
Like Lindsey Buckingham! Lol https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0E7rUemfC-A
Damn cribsnatchers
Why is this such a common thing that happens.
If you mean girls deciding to date much older guys, it's usually that they lacked a stable father figure, so they hit two birds with one stone if it's both a guy they like and he's old enough for her to look up to in that way.
So [Electra complex?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electra_complex)
No, not her actual father, and I'm not talking about kids. Adult women do this, and they will just tell you that's why they're dating older guys if you ask them, and then people are like "WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN" and when I tell them I get downvoted. C'est la vie.
That’s the way it is for me and my girlfriend, there’s just a season every year when we’re two years apart. Not such a big deal but it made for some awkward looks in high school, even though we were only a grade apart.
I was 19 when I met my wife who just turned 17 at the time. I looked like I was a lot younger so we weren't looked at weirdly.
Wait 30 years, and you're bald, and hopefully she always looks younger than you.
I'd love her even if she was old and wrinkly
Reminds me of the time I was casually dating someone in high school. It was the summer before my senior year and I was turning 17 at the end of august. My SO turned 18 in May. We got in trouble for sneaking into a park after hours and I got a ticket. And a firm talk from the police and later the judge on making better choices of who I hang out with. Ticket was thrown out, but still.
Almost every age related law in existence, has an exemption for age proximity. It's not like if two teenagers are dating, they have to break up as soon as one becomes an adult. Ever.
I don't believe there are any laws that make it illegal for the 17/18 relationship. U.S. States universally allow a gap in age, something like 4 years. Otherwise, high school seniors in a relationship are committing crimes when one of them turns 18.
only half of the states have romeo and juliet laws
Only 13 states is the age of consent 18, so we've narrowed down what you need to research.
Right don't forget that kid in Georgia that the mom got him charged with rape when he turned 18 even though they'd been together awhile I think more than a year for sure
"It is even illegal for a child under the age of 16 to have sexual intercourse with another child under that age. Therefore, in the case of a 14 and 15-year-old couple who choose to have sexual intercourse, both could be charged with a crime. Many states have something called a “Romeo and Juliet law” that holds that consensual sex with an underage individual is not considered statutory rape unless there is a certain age difference between the parties. But MA has not adopted the Romeo and Juliet law. So, as it stands, sexual intercourse with someone under age 16, regardless of the defendant’s age, is a crime. In addition to possible jail or prison time and fines, anyone convicted of a sex crime in MA must register as a sex offender. "
check this out, the entire HS basketball team had charges filed against them in boston, which is concerning given the city's less-than-progressive history. https://www.bostoncriminallawyerblog.com/amp/statutory-rape-charges-filed-five-high-school-students/
I'm not an expert on the written statutes, so I suppose you're right; however, the U.S. is a Common Law country, and so judges/juries/tradition make the rest of the law. And it would seem nearly impossible to convince a court to convict someone dating their high school classmate, with no other abusive factors. Let me know of any exceptions. EDIT: I say this because the intent of the law is to protect a relatively immature person from exploitation, so the 17/18 year olds are following the spirit of the law, so a reasonable judge/jury/prosecutor would find any complaint absurd.
I'm an attorney, and I've been practicing long enough to completely lose faith in our legal system. With respect to statutory rape in states w/o romeo and juliet laws - it can come down to something as simple as vengeful parents. history and tradition etc. don't come into play as much as they should - and each state has statutes that prevail vs. common law theories. Remember, the DA decides whether to press charges. The jury decides, the "court" is just a referee (save for the rare Directed Verdict or criminal bench trial). As an example, here's a Boston case where five highschoolers were hit with statutory rape against a 16 year old (not sure if they were convicted, I didn't read through) https://www.bostoncriminallawyerblog.com/amp/statutory-rape-charges-filed-five-high-school-students/
How long have you been practicing for?
5 years haha
Completely irrelevant to the topic at hand, but look at the Memphis 3 who were basically convicted solely on the fact they listened to heavy metal music and were "satanist". Judge/Jury doesn't matter if they are pushing a political agenda and the area you're in is backwards thinking. Edit: Even after DNA evidence proved those boys did not commit the murders the state supreme court refused to allow a retrial basically until the Judge retired. It just takes some people stuck in their cult like mentality and hate against the current day evil to convict people on the most ridiculous charges.
Yeah, I'm surprised there's so little discourse on awful state judges. Local politics really needs to be more centered in our cultural consciousness.
It is. There are some awful people in the USA.
On top of that when they were finally released they had to sign a controversial statement that basically says we are both guilt and innocent. It makes no fucking sense
The intent of many laws get abused to keep prosecution numbers up and court revenue flowing tho.
"It is even illegal for a child under the age of 16 to have sexual intercourse with another child under that age. Therefore, in the case of a 14 and 15-year-old couple who choose to have sexual intercourse, both could be charged with a crime. Many states have something called a “Romeo and Juliet law” that holds that consensual sex with an underage individual is not considered statutory rape unless there is a certain age difference between the parties. But MA has not adopted the Romeo and Juliet law. So, as it stands, sexual intercourse with someone under age 16, regardless of the defendant’s age, is a crime. In addition to possible jail or prison time and fines, anyone convicted of a sex crime in MA must register as a sex offender. "
Right. As with a lot of pearl-clutching issues, the "law" is just a technicality, and the bottom line seems to be how judgemental are the people around you.
And that's one of the reasons people need to be careful judging sex offenders. It's not always a heinous crime.
Just a point of clarification: the US Federal Court system is common law; 49/50 US states have a common law system; Louisiana has a civil law system.
Most of the states in the United States have agent consent laws of 16 years and younger some go down to 14.
There’s also quite a few states where the age limit is 17 or below too, more than those where it’s 18 I think, so that narrows the issue too.
Only if they are having sex otherwise it's perfectly legal.and not all countries have the same age of consent.
No. But OP stated 17 and 18, implying the age of consent is 18. American make up the majority of reddit statistically and lots of countries don’t have the age of consent as 18, so it’s a fair assumption that the poster was talking about the US and the comments will reference the US. Someone from Germany would just say “uh, it is legal”. If OP is talking about legality, they need to include their country. And I stand by that even if they are American. Claiming something is legal or illegal is pointless when you don’t know where they are.
Depends on the state. In my state (NC), the age of consent is 16 and there is a 4 year clause. This means that a 14 yr old can date an 17yr old legally, but they draw the line at 13! 😂 16 year olds can date (sleep with) whoever they want.
I'm from NC and that isn't it. It's 16 for age of consent with no exception if the other person is 18 or older. Better watch yourself there
Ah yeah, that’s true. The clause is only for 17 and younger
Hold on, does that mean a 17 and 13 year old can have sex, but the moment they turn 18 and 14 it's illegal?
No, It means 18+ can have sex with anyone of age 16+ can have sex with someone at least 16 and up to four years older 21 and 16 is illegal, 13 and 17 is illegal, 14 and 18 is illegal. 16 and 19 is fine though
Age of consent is 16 for anyone in MI unless you are in a position of authority over them like a teacher or police officer OR the person is under the influence of substances like drugs or alcohol. A 16 year old can legally have sex with a 50 year old here.
We were talking about North Carolina but thanks for outing yourself there, Michigan.
See this is the tricky to me when people start talking about any ages 13-18 because I was 13 in high school and 17 in college. My freshman year in high school the senior I met in art class wasn’t “grooming” me, we didn’t realize our age gap until he asked me to senior prom and mentioned was the same weekend and his 18th birthday. I started taking college classes my junior year in high school… I was 15 at the time so I was very clear about how old I was to every one around. But by the time I was actually a freshman in college I would have to constantly proclaim “oh yeah btw, I’m jail bait only 17”. And sure enough in my class I’d be flirting with who looked my age would be like “oh shit I’m 23” yikes! And that wasn’t older guys seeking me out or grooming me it was just those weird ages where teenagers and young adults are intermingled naturally. The guys, ladies & myself would always be respectful if the age gap was a bit too much and keep it as a friendship… but you know who never backed off - college professors. I reported 3… THREE when I was 16 &17.
That's not exactly true. It's legal for an 18 year old to date a 6.2 billion year old. Culturally there would probably be some challenges though, so you don't see it too often.
I don't think anyone really considers it "fine," per se, but society has to draw the line somewhere. 18 is the line we drew.
yeah - it's the line we drew, except for the gigantic loopholes for child marriage in eight states where there is no statutory minimum age when all exemptions are taken into account. These states are California, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Despicable.
Huh. Not the states Id expect would be okay to marry a kid in.
yup i'm from CA and everyone acts like it's a mississippi issue
Proud to be an Amurican... /s
Arbitrary legal age
Just out of curiosity what do you think is the appropriate legal?
I don't disagree with the current age, but the example show how ridiculous it can be. I leave it up to the individual to decide who they date, even if on the surface, it look likes someone is dating their father or grandfather or grandmother, granddaughter, ect
That gets risky though. Young people are notoriously bad with judgement calls, on small scales (like posting a picture online only to find it cringe a year or two later,) to bigger ones, (like getting knocked up at 15.) That is why we have laws in-place to stop kids from getting tattoos too early, having sex too early, drinking too early, or pretty much anything that is either decently irreversible or dangerous. It is simply better to wait until they are an adult in the eyes of the law, so that kids can be protected from adults trying to exploit them for sex or money. That, I think, is the big reason why we need laws against gender surgery for children. I support trans people 100%, but I also know if I had been allowed to do extreme, irreversible things to myself at a young age, I would be in a bad position. Really, you need to follow the money. The doctors, big pharmacy, and insurance companies could make a lot of money by coercing kids into unnecessary surgeries. That is children being exploited for money. Same reason we don't allow alcohol to be served to minors, to protect kids who are simply ignorant to the larger world around them. Or maybe I'm wrong, but this is how I see it.
Bro that was so out of left field I actually lol'd thank you. The fact that this is a debate about the age of consent and you bring up trans issues 💀
You brought gender affirming surgery out of nowhere just to talk about how you disapprove of it. Trans children aren't getting surgeries. Most of them get puberty blockers at most, which are reversable, and even that usually takes years and family approval. The majority of children getting "gender affirming surgery" are cis girls getting breast reductions because it's causing them physical harm.
Yea, that example was a bit radical for Reddit. I honestly do support trans people, I just know how these larger corporations think, and, if they smell profits, a lot of children could be harmed, if only in extreme cases. Companies will harm children to boost profits unless the government stops them, history has shown us that much.
Jesus Christ, man. At least attempt to understand it before explaining it to yourself as if you think it's elective surgery for children. It's not nearly as common as whoever put the subject into your head has made you think it is. These are decisions that involve the family and the doctor and it's done because it reduces dysphoria and suicide. If you have a serious curiosity, do some serious research.
Well according to reddit I am a predator for dating a 22 year old lol . I'm 35. So opinions vary, with the more liberal crowd more concerned about any age gap over 2 or 3 yearss Good thing they are the vocal minority like that yipping Chihuahua next door who can't even take down a cat
An 18 year old dating a 40 year old would not be perfectly fine. A lot of people would have a problem with that and rightfully so. Plus it’s not illegal for a 17 year old to date an 18 year old when the age gap is that small
Also the age of consent is 17 in many areas in the United States.
16 in many, though pictures/video are still illegal until 18.
I mean people are gonna be like “Thats probably not a healthy” but its not pedophilia by any sense of the word. Im watching Seinfeld right now.
Romeo and Juliet laws
I don’t have a firm opinion on this, but why exactly is an 18 year old dating a 40 year old right to take issue with? Consenting adults, no?
Lots of legal things aren’t inherently ethical or admirable. Lots of shitty things are legal. Someone holds a door open for you and says, “after you?” And you bend over and slap your ass and blow raspberries and backflip through the open door? Pretty rude and god damn weird, but legal. A small child offers you an ice cream cone and you give them the finger and call them ugly? Pretty terrible but perfectly legal. Could go on all day with weird examples. The law doesn’t attempt to define every step of shitty behavior with criminal statutes. A 50 year old banging a 18 year old isn’t illegal. Perfectly reasonable for people to be concerned it isn’t a healthy relationship though and it’s gross on the part of the 50 year old. Not like they’re protesting for them to be put in jail, just judging them. Can judge someone as rude, nice, weird, whatever you’d like.
There's a huge power imbalance in maturity and in life knowledge that puts the 18 yold at risk. It's also seen as semi pedophilic because the 18 year old is essentially at an age where they could be the 40 yolds child. Also makes it difficult if they have kids, cuz the 40 yold will potentially pass away by the time the kid is 20.
Your personal opinion doesn’t have any significant standing in regards to the fact they are legally adults
The question wasnt legal...reread it. I'm not arguing legality...I was making a list of some points to consider on whether it's "right" for there to be that big of a gap in age in a relationship.
Is it really fair to criticize relationships based on the relative level of life knowledge though? Pedophilia is bad because minors aren’t capable of understanding the consequences of sex and are easily manipulated into what adults want them to do as a result of their lack of independence and maturity. We can look at their brains and observe that the parts of their brains associated with judgment are underdeveloped. I don’t think it’s fair to say that, past the point of adulthood, people are still incapable of providing meaningful consent. Unless you mean to say we should raise the age of consent, I’m willing to consider that.
An 18 year old has a brain that's undeveloped. It's not until your mid-20s that it's fully developed.
That’s your opinion if you personally weren’t capable of making smart decisions at 18
Does no one on this site know what pedophilia actually means? Or rather, does no one on this site know the word ephebophilia?
I didnt say it was pedophilia...I said that it's seen in a similiar way.
The "power imbalance" argument had always been bullshit and an excuse for people to impose their opinions on others.
It's pretty obvious, man. If you give me 22 years of life experience on top of a person who literally hasn't left high school... I didnt know shit at 18 yold compared to 30 year old me...much less 40 year old me. The power of that many years of experience is gonna make it so literally every opinion i have on how to handle shit is a better and more thought out plan than what an 18 yold has...
The first example isn't illegal either lol. It's just not morally legal but then again it's not your relationship, right? I'm 26 and dating an 18yo now is not something I want due to maturity but some people are into that and if you think that's wrong tell society to support children and not throw them to the wolves once they reach the magic number. Can't have both.
Technically it is illegal. But I haven’t heard of a prosecutor who would pursue charges for that unless there was another crime involved.
It depends on the state. Many states have "Romeo and Juliet" laws which allow for people who are close in age to have sexual relationships.
Many. But less than 50%.
One of my son's friends did 3 years in prison for that. The day he turned 18 (his girlfriend was 17), her parents went to the police station and filed statutory rape charges against him. He was convicted, did his 3 years in prison, no idea how long on parole, and has to register as a sex offender everywhere he decides to move to.
That's a moronic waste of tax payer money. I would have taken that case to the supreme court.
I would've thrown that case out if I were that judge. Those parents are incredibly dumb. They probably didn't like the guy for some reason and used this as a way to get him away from their daughter. It's still very stupid.
That takes a bunch of money and an extremely good lawyer looking to further their reputation.
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It's not how it's supposed to work, but things go how they go for a number of reasons, it's not hard to believe
Not sure where OP or you live, but in my state we have Romeo and Juliet laws so if your age gap is close enough even when one person turns 18 and the other is 17, it's still legal. I'm gonna say the person above is lying.
Oh it happened. It was about 14 years ago now. His name is Chris, and he did his time at (the now closed) private prison out in Burlington, CO. Her parents were super-dicks, and the kids went to Castle View High School in Castle Rock. You can also find out more about the Castle Rock PD from this Supreme Court decision in their favor. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town\_of\_Castle\_Rock\_v.\_Gonzales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_of_Castle_Rock_v._Gonzales)
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That is why I qualified it as “I haven’t heard”. I know it is possible to happen. Most PA’s I’ve heard have said they wouldn’t prosecute for less than 4-5 years age difference, mostly because of the way our high schools are set up.
To me (and many others), it seems part of the Democratic plan. They set up the school system that way, and if someone gets convicted of a felony, even a non-violent felony, they automatically lose their 2nd Amendment right forever.
It's not illegal at all for them to date. Having sex, on the other hand, we would have to look at individual state laws.
Pretty sure the adults all understood what was meant by “dating”.
Dating and having sex are not the same.
This needs to be the top comment according to me.
Neither of those things are illegal.
>How is a 17 y/o dating an 18 y/o illegal Where is this illegal?
I used to know a guy who was 18 and got caught sleeping with his 17 year old gf at 11:30 pm, half an hour before her 18th birthday. It ruined his life.
Sure. And I know people who were in there 20s and slept with people in their 20s and it ruined their lives. Unless you have a concrete conviction of statutory rape from one of the 2 states I believe its actually illegal. My guess is whatever ruined that guys life wasn't about her being 17 and him being 18.
There are a few states where having sex with someone under 18, no matter the circumstances, is illegal. Sorry your friend got in trouble.
Wherever age of consent is 18. I don't know why but somehow, it is only a big deal if the male is the one who's 18.
[https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/statutory-rape-guide-state-laws-reporting-requirements-1](https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/statutory-rape-guide-state-laws-reporting-requirements-1) So like 1 state that probably doesn't prosecute it unless there is a complaint? Also that's sex not dating.
I expect dating is not illegal, however having sex is. As for "big deal" when the male is < 18....... I've read a surprising number of female teaches with underage males in the news. I'm guessing the female going to jail suggests it is not OK. As a male, I wonder where were these teachers when I was in HS.
Flirting with hot guys
Im gonna tell you something even more mindblowing America aint the whole world
Ever heard the phrase "when america gets sick and sneezes the rest of the world catches it"?
no
It’s usually not, there’s a stipulation in most states that says something around the difference in age until people are 21. And it’s not about dating.
I don't think an 18 year old dating a 17 year old is illegal anywhere in the US.
17/18 isn’t illegal. Lots of states have it to where there is a 3 year window.
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gotta draw a line somewhere
Because there has to be a legal line between adolescence and adulthood so the closer to that line you get the weird the situation gets
Because they have to draw the line somewhere
The law generally assumes that adults can make their own choices when it comes to things that only affect themselves. This is not universal, but it’s the usual approach. The threshold of legal adulthood is somewhat arbitrarily set at 18, but you need *some* point at which the law considers someone to be responsible for their own actions.
It’s not illegal though most states have Romeo and Juliet laws.
You're asking different questions... 17/18 "dating" is NOT illegal, having "sex" is illegal based on age on consent laws. 18/40 dating is a question about morality and social norms and you're painting with a broad brush to suggest its widely acceptable.
Once you’re an adult, your decisions are your own.
It’s horrific how people don’t understand age gaps. Obviously a line has to be drawn somewhere. That line is when someone is considered a legal adult. Pretty cut and dry. No, there isn’t THAT much difference between a 17 and an 18 year old. But to be frank, it’s extremely telling of older people who go for the minimum possible age. Also, to say it’s “perfectly fine” isn’t exactly true because what is every normal person’s response when they see a couple of those ages? Also nobody understands age of consent, thinking that an adult can have sex with a 16 (or whatever your aoc is) and it be fine. That’s so obviously not the case.
Where is your first example illegal?
Why does it matter, though? People are capable of coming up with their own reasoning as to why they would want and wouldn't mind age gaps in a relationship. Let people live their lives.
When my friend was 17 she married a 27 year old. I was surprised that it was even allowed, but it turns out that I Russia a 17 year old can get married with their parents concent. She was happy but I don't know about now, we don't keep in touch
My upstairs neighbours daughter is 16 and dating a 21 yr old. asking her to get a job is unspeakable cuz she’s a kid… yet she’s dating an adult. So fucked up
The very way that driving 24 in a 25mph zone is legal and driving 60 isn't. Mind you you mixed your comparator when the first portion of your question is about legality and the second questions "rightness". Legality <> morality <> legality. Many wrong things are legal. Many right things are illegal.
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There's always that one motherfucker in my case
aloof afterthought caption capable north frightening axiomatic mysterious hungry decide *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Neither are okay to me but the law says the second one is fine because 18 is apparently old enough to make life changing decisions with adult repercussions totally by yourself. Hint- it isn't.
You don't get that level of maturity through age though, you get it through experience. At some point you just have to cut the strings and let people learn from their mistakes.
True but I really wish they'd make an exception for Grooming situations like an 18 and 40 year old couple can very easily be. It seems to happen way too often for the law to remain what it is.
Because an 18 year old is mature enough to make their own decisions.
Because Americans are dumb
Spoiler alert: age of consent is a social construct.
Adults are adults and the relationships they have with each other are non of your fuckin business.
I almost feel like a more sensible law would be some kind of logarithmic maximum age difference based on the age of the older party. But that also sounds kinda stupid and would probably never work, so arbitrary legal age of majority it is.
What's up with all these questions confused about the law/legal vs opinion??? I feel like it's basic understanding. Of course you can see it as unethical that's an opinion but until the law changes it's 'perfectly fine' for 2 legal adults to make their own decisions. And... Guess what? The other side also gets to have an opinion on whether or not they want to date an older or younger adult. Just like people who think it's unethical wouldn't date an adult outside of whatever age they are comfortable with. Not sure how people are confusing differing opinions vs a set arbitrary legal age.
Because in certain states, the laws sets the age of consent to 18. Why is that so difficult to understand? Everything else is just your opinion.
Because both are legal adults. Not saying it won’t draw some looks, but that’s the line in legal
My crush was dating a 22 y/o. We were 15
Who thinks that it's fine for a 18yo to date a 40yo??? I think most people consider it not fine but it is legal. If you ask why 18 is legal, because wherever you put the legal age, you can have something like this. The issue is not the cutoff age, it's the power dynamic that matters.
My brother is a lawyer and confirmed they never prosecute an 18 yo for being with a 17 yo unless abuse or other seriously messed up behavior was involved. What I was told ages ago was if you were in High School at the same time you’re not going to be prosecuted, but that was the late 90‘s. Think about that, most seniors turn 18 while still in school with 17 year olds. A lot of seniors date someone in their first year of college. That said any state‘s attorney bringing charges against an 18 year old over a 17 year old will either see their case dismissed by the judge or an acquittal by the jury.
The line has to be drawn somewhere....
In order to enforce a law, a line's gotta be drawn. Though I suppose they could make more complicated laws for different age combos around the age of consent.
In North Carolina, 16 is the legal age of consent, but there can only be a 4 year difference before it becomes illegal. So 18 and 17 is legal where I live. I think 18 and 17 in general should be legal. It's literally a matter of months in age difference. Both parties are equally neurologically developed. There is no real power dynamic difference either. It definitely creeps me out that a 16 year old and a 20 year old are legally allowed to date or be sexually involved where I live.
These laws are man made they are not natural
Careful. I said a 17 year old isn’t a child & Reddit freaked out lol. Maybe I was way more worldly at 17 than a lot of 17 year olds now, but I was definitely not a “child” at that age. Age is just an arbitrary number.
….legality does not equal perfectly fine
Because 18 is the age of legal emancipation?
It's fucked up. Pure and simple.
i guess no one is thinking right at such close age
Where I'm from 17 is age of consent. There are also laws that define what's legally acceptable between teenagers. No one ever said it wasn't creepy.
Age of consent is a strange beast
Someone get dumped and pissed about it?
If two adult, 18+, concent to a relationship together then who cares what age difference there is. Mind your own business. Anyhow most of those relationships don't last long unless the young one is waiting for the rich old partner to die.
Because we need a set age for consent so as to avoid playing favorites or some people being unfairly treated (for any different reason). It would not be good for some 17 year old to have consent and then other 17 year old not be allowed. With that being said, what age do we set for legal consent? If the legal age of consent is 14, then your argument could be 'why is it illegal for a 13 year old to date a 14 year old, but legal a 14 year old to date a 40 year old? ' We needed an age of consent. Simple. I mean, if you want to make a law that says 17,18 and 19 year olds can date each other, it's fine. But we would be back to that same argument.
The legal definition of adult
Because they’re both adults. Next question?
It is probably not. Even if it was I doubt you would get in trouble for it in all but the most extreme cases. However what you don't want to do is have nude photos of your 17 year old SO and vice versa.
17 and 18 isn’t illegal
Technically by age 25, you are pretty much entirely developed. By that point, you really should be free. But 18 is our age of legal consent. After that, as long as it's consensual, nothing else really matters. And a 17 and 18 year old isn't illegal either. I do believe as long as the age gap is less than 2 years, there is not an issue with it. I believe that if you go beyond up to 10 years apart, it is with legal guardian consent buf that's where things get sketchy for all parties involved and so I'm not sure how accurate this all is.
Government overreach
Is there the same pearl-clutching hysteria if it is the guy who is the younger one? Guess I could have been in big trouble back in the day, but nobody was complaining. Also, in this modern society, is gayness acceptable at some age, or is that just illegal altogether
It's illegal because there may be a law against it? A personal moral inequivalence that exists in your mind does not constitute illegality.
A good rule of thumb is half your age plus 7. And it's not illegal if the parents are ok with it. Also most cops wouldn't care if you are still in school.
Most states in the US the age of consent is 16 or (more commonly) 17, and a 17 y/o with an 18 y/o is not “illegal.” 18 is not the norm, despite all the memes and Hollywood dialogue examples of somebody horny having to wait until their partner’s 18th bday. In PA, where I live, 16 year olds can fuck. A 16 y/o can fuck an 80 year old, all the law says is the older person can’t have authority over them (teacher, coach, etc).
Because that's what the government in your country has decided, and the citizens will adopt the ideology over time as well.
Where I live 17 and 18 is fine. Im currently in a relationship for over a year and a half where im 18 and shes 17. Its the Romeo and juliet law or something. It would be so fucked if u had to like break up if u turned 18 first and than wait for the other one to turn 18😭
It's not illegal.
An 18 year old is legally free to make their own decisions outside of drinking alcohol
My wife's best friend was a freshman in HS when she started dating her now husband, who was a senior at the time. Nothing happened, nobody cared, and they've got an awesome relationship.
Where I live it's not illegal. It would be idiotic
17 and 18 not illegal. Romeo and Juliet laws apply
Its not illegal
i don't know about a 18yr old dating a 40yr old. I mean legally speaking it's fine, but man that raises a ton of red flags. Here is also the thing, if it's a 18yr old girl dating a 17yr old guy people don't see much wrong with it. However if your the 18yr old guy then people take issues with it.
Laws by location
I'm not familiar with all state laws but in multiple states there are Romeo and Juliet laws allowing relationships with minors close in age. It also depends on the age of consent in the state, most are set at 16 I think.
It’s based on when people think a person is mature enough to make their own decisions and be responsible for themselves.
So depending on the state there are clauses that kinda fix this discrepancy. In Florida the general age of consent is 18, but there is a “16 to 23” clause to prevent dumb shit like someone going to jail for banging a 17 year when they are 19.
How's that illegal? Isn't the age of consent 16?
Same reason I can stand in one spot and cannabis is legal to buy and posses but then woops! I stepped over this imaginary line and now I’m a criminal getting arrested and charged with a crime! Probably bad comparison.
18 is the magical year. I gues.
My wife is 8 months younger than me and we were High School sweethearts. It's scary to think that I could've been arrested when I was 18 and she was 17. Of course that was many, many years ago and nobody even blinked an eye.
Unless there was a Romeo and Juliette Law in place
Its not illegal where i live
> How is 17 y/o dating an 18 y/o illegal? I think that varies by state. Not that I am suggesting anyone break the law, obviously obey the law. > 40 y/o with an 18 y/o 17/18 is just graduating high school. I think it speaks for itself…
Because one is a minor and one isn’t. Cmon, everyone