Statuatory Rape: AKA Jailbate.

A fraternity brother of mine is having a fling with a 15 year old girl. He's almost 22 and a college senior. She's a sophomore in HIGH SCHOOL.

According to the books this is rape. According to my fraternity brothers, it's messed up and illegal what this guy is doing. BUt honostly, are we being narrow minded? If she was sleeping with someone who was 17, it would be legal. So does this statuatory rape thing seem right? I mean, no matter what, this girl consented, even if she sneaks over to his house after HIGH SCHOOL and doesn't tell her parent's what (or rather who) she's doing. It seems wrong on a moral level, and it IS wrong from a legal perspective, but should it be?

I am having a hard time with this one. I mean, I think what my friend is doing is wrong, but were he caught I don't think he should go to JAIL for RAPE. Do any of you?

 

It's one thing when a guy turns 18 his HS senior year and is involved with a sophmore or junior girl, but that's criminal. Remind him of the 3 run rule.

 

Maybe not for rape, but for being an idiot. 22 and 15 is a bit of a stretch, and he'll be lucky if the girl's father doesn't kill him.

 

I don't know. It's odd. My views on this are very different because I know that in this country people think that is immoral, but yet in many countries of Europe or South America it is quite normal to see a 16 year old girl go out with a dude that is 21 or 22 and the parents are usually ok with it.

And since moving to this country I have seen things are different on a moral level when it comes not just to that but with drinking, going out, etc, etc.

But I never thought of it because I already had my Euro/South American standards engraved in me.

Now mind you, never been out with a 15 year old girl myself, but I had a few friends back home who were 21 and their girlfriend was 16 and her parents were ok with it.

I think it depends on the people really. 15 is a little too young for a 22 year old, but 16 or 17 isn't if the parents consent. Now if the dude was like 25 or 30, then screw it. That is way too much. It depends on the person and age differnece really.

I know my second cousin met her husband when she was 16 and he was 22 like that guy you mentioned. They have now been married for 22 years and are quite happy. They have two kids, he has a career and so does she. Who am i to say if that was wrong if after being married for 22 years they are still happy and living the good life.

 

The whole point of the statuatory rape laws are to protect those people who are minors and thus deemed by society to be not responsible for their actions. She could think she knows what's best for her all she wants, but a long time ago, this country realized that kids may not be the best people to decide what's best for themselves.

Your friend should be charged with rape and sent away for a good bit of time. He should know better. She does not, obviously.

 

Not sure what state you live in McCartney but in a year it might be alright for him and her to get it on. Chart

 

Well, I think that's pretty sick. I mean that's a stretch. But realy I also think that by 15 you can decide whether to have sex or not. Statuatory rape just really sets the guy up. If you're in a state where the age of consent is let's say 18. She's 17, he's 15. They sleep together. The guy can be in major trouble for statuatory rape. You'd think it'd be the 17 year old, but nope, it's the guy. I think that if two 17 year olds or 16 both want to have sex and do, afterward the guy shouldn't be facing jail time for statuatory rape especially when they're both underage. And of course there is the classic example you're dating someone for two years and then you turn 18 and they're a young 17.

P.S.
In a lot of states the age of consent is 16.

 

Five bucks says his lawyers will try to put up some lame "Romeo & Juliet" defense.

There's really nothing more pathetic than someone who eyeballs minors because they can't cut it in their own age group.

 

15 and 22 is a helluva stretch. Your friend should be smarter about it. Why can't he just date her, and wait a year or two before getting to the sex? At least then she'll be a little wiser.
Im 17. Im dating a 15 year old. At the start of the relationship i wondered if i was too old for her.
Your friend is REALLY pushing it.

 

I've got the same situation from a different perspective. My 16yr-old sister is going out with a 25-yr-old guy. Although I have no proof, I'm fairly sure that they've had sex. Do I think he should be arrested for rape? Certainly not...

 

Age of consent in Canada is 14. I believe this is better than America's law of 18.

By 14, you're mature enough to make these decisions. This girl, IMO, is old enough to make the decision to consent to this, and while it's morally wrong, I do not think the man should be punished criminally. And in Canada, he wouldn't be.

 

Jeez, don't you think 14 year old girls can be a bit naive? Especially when approached by a 22 plus man with experience? Also, most people haven't even got past puberty by the age of 14. I don't think its a good age at all to consent to sex.

 

Some girls have got past puberty by 14, they tend to do so earlier than guy. In fact, it was awkward for me because I was a "late bloomer," and didn't hit puberty at all until well after most of friends, until I was 15 orr 16 years old

 

Too much info, DarkSide.

I believe females hit puberty 3 years earlier than males.

 

Yeah most girls hit puberty way before high school. I can only think of two girls who didn't (of my friends) by 14.

 

There is the whole biology debate. The one that says once children reach the ability to procreate (especially in late adolescence) biology urges people to want to be with them. The "If there's grass on the field it's ok to play" theory.

Bunk.

You have the ability to make your mind up. This guy whose 22 is going out with her because she gives it up out of what she thinks is love. He's a pedophile, pure and simple.

Arrest him, try and convict him, and the let world know what a sex offender he is.

 

There is little that is black and white, and this isn't one of those things (not in this case, at least).

You can't simply say, "he's a pedophile, pure and simple." That's silly. It goes a bit deeper than that.

 

Uh, who cares about when she's hit puberty? Its about mental maturity, not physical maturity, and 14 year old girls are EXTREMELY immature. I think its pretty sick that the age of consent is 14 years old (I had NO idea).

 

I think its pretty sick that the age of consent is 14 years old (I had NO idea).

That's only in Canada, Emo.

 

He's a grown man banging a young girl not yet 16. I don't know what you call it but in these parts it's called a sex crime.

Lock him up for a while and when he gets out make sure everyone knows he's a sex offender.

 

That's black and white thinking.

You don't know about the maturity of the girl, or all the circumstances.

And then you say make sure everyone knows he's a sex offender? That's ridiculous. It takes away from the real sex offenders, and you don't even know all the facts.

Give me a break.

 

The reason we have these laws is to prevent men from taking advantage of young women. Whether it's sexist (aka against women of me) to say this or not, women, especially young women or girls, tend to feel pressured into doing things they wouldn't normally do by people who are older. It's the same with teenage guys. Pressure is bad enough from peers, but from older people you look up to or feel something for? Ouch.

Whether or not this is what your frat brother did, and obviously you have not given enough of the story for any of us to argue either way, I think what he's doing is just slightly...blech.

EDIT: I would just like to point out that statutory rape doesn't just only apply to girls under 17, but also to guys. Just so all the women on this board won't jump on me! ::ducks for cover::

 

Yeah, because theirs is a forbidden love.

//snickers

I wonder what he offered her. A lolipop, maybe? Or did he brag about owning his own set of wheels? That usually works.

Let me put it this way: 14-year-old girls are stupid and naive. Just because their chest is ample enough doesn't mean their brain up to snuff. But lo, they do have the potential to get smarter. Your friend, however, appears to have missed his exit, so to speak.

 

I don't kneed to know every detail. He's 22 and she's 15. He's a full grown man and she's still half child.

Like Warning Drill said, the size of her chest isn't at issue. At 15 she is incapable of making those kinds of decisions. He is.

He's a predator. Pure and simple.

 

It isn't that cut and dry.

You don't know her maturity. I've known girls that age who are mature enough to make such decisions. That's not to say this one is, but age isn't all there is to it, regardless of what you might like to believe. Look with some depth, instead of casting stones at the first sight of it.

The usage of the term "predator" is wrong in this case. Unless he's actively seeking out girls that age, he's not a predator. There are real predators out there, and we don't know enough information to call him one or not.