Question about sexual consent laws.

[Wapsie B]

I didn't want to jack Taverner's thread but what was talked about there had me wondering. If the age of consent in a given state is say 15, does that mean they're able to consent to have sex with any adult? I'm not talking about 18 or 19 year olds. What if a 30 or 40 year old hit on them? Is that still legal?
Just wondering.....

[Shell Beau]

1. I don't know! But did you hear about that guy in Georgia who

was having consensual sex with a 15 year old (law states 16 is the age) and he is 17. It was caught on tape at a party. He got 10 years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender!! Such horse shit!!!!! They are trying to appeal it. He wouldn't plead guilty b/c he didn't feel he was and he still would have faced some prison time and register as a sex offender!

[Wapsie B]

4. That's outrageous!

No I didn't hear that. Sex offender? Hmmm, me thinks some of the worst sex offenders just might be those who pass laws such as these. Let's look inside their closets.

[Shell Beau]

7. I think it is awful! The term "sex offender"

should be used on people who deserve it! I think it is outrageous too! In high school, my now husband then boyfriend, was 17 when I was 15. I wasn't having sex then, but at 16 when he was 18, we did and I can't imagine the possibility that he register as a sex offender!

On edit, is that TMI? :o

[Wapsie B]

9. TMI?

[Shell Beau]

10. You know? When I said we did at age 16?

:shrug:

[Wapsie B]

12. Oh

too much information. duh. I wasn't comprehending the term. No I don't think it was.

[Shell Beau]

14. Kind of embarrasing since I was sooo young! But I married the

guy so what the hell!!

[Wapsie B]

17. I would think that's the age

that many start exploring things like that. I started way late. But that's just me. I'm certainly in no position to judge. You did what felt like the right thing at the time and you were rewarded with a great marriage. That is so cool.

[Shell Beau]

19. I don't regret it, but teens sometimes don't know how to control

those raging hormones!!

[MissMillie]

13. The sex offender registry is the problem

not the consent law.

[Shell Beau]

16. Well, I don't think he should be jailed for 10 years either!

First of all, these teens should be aware of these laws, but I think that is silly. A lot of kids date around that age. And I think if the roles were reversed and a 17 year old girl had sex with a 15 year old boy, it would be totally different!

[MissMillie]

20. 10 years seems a bit much, I agree

And I don't think it should be any different if the ages are reversed.

[Shell Beau]

24. I don't either, but I think it wouldn't have even been an issue, I could

be wrong though!

[mdmc]

2. kids can never consent to having sex with adults

kids can never be arrested for consentual underage sex (if both are underage) <-this is NYS.

[Shell Beau]

3. What about what I posted above?

But I guess you could consider he was above the consent age!

[mdmc]

6. 16 is the age of consent in that state

she was under, he was over.

In NY, the age of consent is 17. That means that once you turn 18, you can no longer legally have sex with people that are under 18.

[kay1864]

21. I don't think that's quite true

In NY, the age of consent is 17. That means that once you turn 18, you can no longer legally have sex with people that are under 18.

That's not what "age of consent" means. If the age of consent is 17, a 17-year-old can legally consent to sex, including with an adult.

[mdmc]

22. allow me to clarify

at 17, you can consent to sex with an adult. Once you turn 17, you can never legally have sex with a person under 17.

I am sorry for the confusion.
:hi:

[kay1864]

23. That's mostly true...

But not in states that have "Romeo and Juliet" laws (see below). NY has them, so in NY a 17-year-old can legally have sex with a 14-year-old, because they're less than 4 years apart. (ETA: it might be that it's a misdemeanor in NY rather than a felony. Or it might be legal if she's 14+ and he's no more than 4 years older. Not sure, to be honest)

OK I'm learning way more about this topic than I really wanted to... OTOH, I guess I should know these things, since I have a little daughter, who will one day be 16.

Naahh, I'll just kick his ass if he touches her :P

[Wapsie B]

25. Now just to clarify for me

the 17 and 14 year old can hook up, but can the 17 year old hook up with someone 35?

[kay1864]

26. Yes, if the age of consent is 17

[Wapsie B]

27. Ok .

Thanks for the info.

[kay1864]

28. However, if you're 35 and she's 17

It's kinda gross.

And if my daughter's 17 and you're 35, you're kinda history :P

[Wapsie B]

30. Yeah I know what you're saying.

That's not the norm at all. Then again I look back at the pioneer days when women were married off real young to start having kids with a much older guy.

Yeah I wouldn't blame you about being protective of your daughter. I've got one who's 16.

[kay1864]

34. Yikes!

I've got a ways to go before I'm in your shoes. Guess I should go ahead and buy that shotgun, huh? :P

[Wapsie B]

36. ...

:rofl:

[Wapsie B]

5. Ok. I was just wondering.

I honestly didn't know.

[Debi]

29. I think in Iowa there is a range

of like 4-5 years. So if the age of consent is 16 then the 16yo legally can consent to sex w/a 17,18,19,20yo but a 21yo would be in trouble. I think it's something like that.


Look what I found, a list for every state. Don't know how accurate it is.

http://teenadvice.about.com/library/weekly/qanda/blageofconsentchart.htm

oops, try this one..

[Wapsie B]

31. Thanks Debi!

I was wondering if Iowa didn't have an age range for consent.

edit: looking at that chart it's amazing how many states actually make it illegal to have homosexual relations. Even Taxachusetts.

[Debi]

33. Here's Iowa in specific detail

Iowa: 14 or 15 (if partner less than 5 years older), 16 (all other adult partners) State law imposes a mandatory lifetime banishment from most Iowa cities for a person who violates any state's age of consent law. Iowa's ban applies to conduct that occurs in other states regardless if it was legal in those states. Said persons would not be allowed to legally live in most Iowa cities, and would generally be restricted to rural areas. Federal courts have upheld this law, and the US Supreme Court has refused to review it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This goes a little overboard on the 2,000 foot law, but I guess that's what we get for passing it (and some cities have passed the banishment law).

So you all read it here first, Don't have sex with an underage person in Iowa - if you get caught you will be banned (right after we draw & quarter ya!!!)

[Wapsie B]

35. Wow!

No messing around with that at all.

[Deep13]

8. In Ohio there is a range.

If one partner is a minor teenager and the other partner is just over the age of majority, it is either a lesser offense or none at all (I forget which) as long it does not otherwise fit the definition of a sex offese. On the other hand, if there is a big difference in age, say a 25 year old banging a 14 year old, it is gross sexual imposition.

[pitohui]

11. age of consent is no longer 15

i'm not aware of any state where age of consent is 15 any longer, it's scary, when we were kids, i guess we were all sex criminals and never knew it, just thought we were learning our way abt the human body, our bad

they have some states which provide for the chance that a 16 year old might have a 17 year old boyfriend or some such

[kay1864]

18. True dat...

Just looked it up. 16-18 in all states (with a couple of "Romeo and Juliet" exceptions like Colorado (15), Iowa (14), and Missouri (14))

But it's not universally 18 years old like many think. It's split about half-and-half between 16 and 18, with a handful that have 17.

[reyd reid reed]

32. I don't know for sure about other states,

but in Colorado, the age of consent IS 15.

[kay1864]

15. It varies by state

A lot of states have "Romeo and Juliet" laws that say if they're less than 3 or 4 years apart, it's not a crime (assuming they're both over the age of consent)

To me, those kinds of laws make a lot of sense. A 19-year-old with a 17-year-old? OK by me. A 39-year-old with a 17-year-old? Icky to say the least.