# 17 year old girl runs off with 20 yr old boyfriend. CNN exclusive。 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 3, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411 "2010-07-03T10:26:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/61 "2010-07-04T05:58:26Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I said she can’t _legally_ run away from home, and I haven’t said anything at all about sex in this thread. No sex in the thread please, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/62 "2010-07-04T06:15:05Z")
I suppose it would do no good to say that: I was once a 17 year old girl and i wanted to be having good hot sex with one 17 year old boy. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/63 "2010-07-04T07:03:21Z")
> [@](#): > > It would depend on the individual circumstances Yes. Exactly. Occasionally, a seventeen year old is mature enough to be involved sexually and romanticly with an older partner. Heck, I had feelings for my current girlfriend when she was seventeen and I was 27. It can and does happen. HOWEVER, doesn’t it seem like a lot of times with cases like these, when its an older dude, it seems like the older dude is fixtated on the girl’s AGE? I have to say GENERALLY there really IS a huge difference developmentally between age 21 and age 17. Heck there’s a huge difference between age 21 and 25.I know I changed a hell of a lot between those ages. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/64 "2010-07-04T07:08:48Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Yes, but I’m extraordinarily stubborn. > > Actually, in a sense, I’m not unlike **DtC** on this issue. My impulse is to be suspicious of the boy and to think that he’s doing something untoward with the girl. But I also try to take my own prejudices into account, and to be open to correction by others. Untoward? Like… in the butt? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/65 "2010-07-04T19:17:04Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Remember when she attacked Elizabeth Smart on the air? That was classy. I liked the one where she badgered someone so bad they committed suicide. > [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > Untoward? Like… in the butt? Silly **Boozahol** , that’s how decent girls stay virgins. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/66 "2010-07-04T19:22:56Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > I blame Obama. I blame global warming. ---
**Author:** ![Cadence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Cadence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cadence)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/67 "2010-07-06T03:08:15Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Remember when she attacked Elizabeth Smart on the air? That was classy. I saw that. Nancy wanted to get into the horrible salacious details of the kidnapping and rape of the poor child. But Elizabeth’s response was great “I’m not here to talk about that Nancy.” Who then responded “Oh, ok. I was giving you the chance to reach out to rape victims but if you don’t want to…” or something similar. She is sickening. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/68 "2010-07-06T03:13:07Z")
> [@Cadence](#): > > I saw that. Nancy wanted to get into the horrible salacious details of the kidnapping and rape of the poor child. But Elizabeth’s response was great “I’m not here to talk about that Nancy.” Who then responded “Oh, ok. I was giving you the chance to reach out to rape victims but if you don’t want to…” or something similar. > > She is sickening. My response (were I Elizabeth Smart) would have been, “Well, that’s the interview I’m going to give to a REAL journalist, Nancy.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/69 "2010-07-06T17:55:46Z")
> [@anya\_marie](#): > > I suppose it would do no good to say that: I was once a 17 year old girl and i wanted to be having good hot sex with one 17 year old boy. Which in today’s hysterical climate would probably earn you charges for child molestation and contributing to your own delinquency, or something equally senseless. It’s difficult for me to relate to the “17-year-olds are still the property of their parents/unable to consent” concept, through the lens of own experience. At 17 I announced to my family that I was leaving home, and then I left. It never occurred to me to investigate the legality of it, and thankfully they didn’t press the matter. For sure I still had growing up to do, but I was adult enough to keep a steady job, to find an apartment with roommates, and to enroll myself in college. I don’t know if it’s that common these days, but I didn’t think I was all that unusual at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/70 "2010-07-06T20:06:35Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I don’t know if it’s that common these days, but I didn’t think I was all that unusual at the time. One can only assume this was before you turned into a turnip, yes? ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/71 "2010-07-07T19:32:55Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Most states have some sort of process for a 17 year old (or even younger) to get legal emancipation from their parents. There is a provision for this in Virginia. However, because you are legally a minor, you do need to go through the court system and convince a judge it is in your best interest. > > ETA: When I was 18-19-20 I had a friend who was an emancipated 16 year old. Lived on her own, held a job. I haven’t seen her for years, but she is still friends of friends - and did pretty darn well for herself considering her history (abuse) and lack of support. We looked into this, but in Virginia at least you need to be supporting yourself financially for the court to consider emacipation, which is hard when your guardians haven’t allowed you to leave the house except for school since before you were 16. Also my mom was doing everything in her power at the time to convince everyone that my sister was a danger to herself and shouldn’t be allowed any agency (and I can admit my sister wasn’t making very good choices at the time). Nonetheless I don’t think her only legal options should have been continuing abuse and total lock-down by my mom, or 9 months of incarceration with criminals (my sister’s first and only arrest was for being a runaway). It all worked out in the end, she graduated HS in juvie and got the needed dental care my mom had refused to give her, was released when she turned 18, and has been supporting herself nicely ever since. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/72 "2010-07-07T21:43:37Z")
Has the thought that CNN thinks we are idiots not occurred to you? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/73 "2010-07-07T22:58:02Z")
The parents should be concerned about their daughters actions. From whats been reported, the bf is a possessive creep. However, they also must remember in a few months the girl turns 18. She can do what she wants. She can make stupid mistakes like moving in with a jealous creep that micromanages her life. Eventually, she’ll move on to other relationships. Hopefully without any babies or bruises. (My sister found out the hard way that possessive guys are often violent.) If the parents want any connection with their daughter they have to let go. Let her make her mistakes and hope to hell she isn’t too badly treated. Otherwise, she turns 18, tells them to F Off, and leaves for good. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411/74 "2010-07-08T07:30:25Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Which in today’s hysterical climate would probably earn you charges for child molestation and contributing to your own delinquency, or something equally senseless. > > It’s difficult for me to relate to the “17-year-olds are still the property of their parents/unable to consent” concept. I knew a girl like that and she hated every minute of it. I’m glad to be 32. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-girl-runs-off-with-20-yr-old-boyfriend-cnn-exclusive/545411.md?page=3)