# What would you do? (Teenage sex question) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028 "2011-01-18T01:21:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/61 "2011-01-18T03:03:13Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Don’t live in Illinois now, hon. And the district attorneys where I’m at like to look tough on crime and high in “good, Christian family values”. I don’t give a damn where you live (which is in la-la land as far as I can tell). And I need cites for district attorneys in your state prosecuting teenagers for fucking. I’ll wait. I have a feeling I’ll be waiting a while. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/62 "2011-01-18T03:03:16Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Don’t live in Illinois now, hon. And the district attorneys where I’m at like to look tough on crime and high in “good, Christian family values”. What did the attorney licensed to practice in the state you now live in give you as legal advice for this situation? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/63 "2011-01-18T03:06:15Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > What did your attorney say? [See Post 9](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13365706&postcount=9). (Answer: yes.) ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/64 "2011-01-18T03:06:52Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > What is your attorney’s opinion? The attorney said file before the girl’s parents do. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/65 "2011-01-18T03:08:24Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > So unless she tells you the state she lives in, you won’t believe it? Considering it’s illegal in 19 states and legal in 38 states and D.C. according to the link, it’s not a stretch. She may well live in Illinois, where she’s mentioned she’s from in another thread. But go ahead and be snippy all you want. It isn’t actually illegal in 19 states. According to your own link, many states where the age of consent is older than 16 have exemptions for people who are close in age. There are indeed a few states where two 16 year olds who had sex with each other would be violating the law, but this is not the case in _every_ US state where the age of consent is 17+. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/66 "2011-01-18T03:09:10Z")
I’d say just mind your own business and leave it alone. But you clearly won’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/67 "2011-01-18T03:09:35Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Bullshit, read her other threads, if the girl isn’t Roma, and they are not intending to marry there is no way in hell that ZPG considers her suitable to even associate with her family. Plus the girl might be a vampire or werewolf. You can never be too careful. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/68 "2011-01-18T03:09:59Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > [See Post 9](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13365706&postcount=9). > > (Answer: yes.) Oh, I know. I just wonder why it hasn’t been addressed yet. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I assume since you “informed” your attorney, you already have advice on what to do. > [@Frank](#): > > What were your attorney’s ideas? > [@Frank](#): > > What is your attorney’s opinion? > [@Frank](#): > > What did your attorney say? > [@Frank](#): > > What did your attorney say? > [@Kolga](#): > > What did your attorney say? > [@Frank](#): > > What did the attorney licensed to practice in the state you now live in give you as legal advice for this situation? > [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > The attorney said file before the girl’s parents do. That is a lie. Or you lied to the attorney. Or the attorney is a part of your whackjob “culture” that believes in destroying human beings for normal human behavior, especially sexual behavior. The fact that you have responsibility for impressionable young people who are just starting to form their understanding of themselves and their natural desires is appalling to me. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/69 "2011-01-18T03:14:42Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > The attorney said file before the girl’s parents do. File what? You’ve been given plenty of cites as to a “who cares?” attitude for teenage sex. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/70 "2011-01-18T03:15:35Z")
I have no idea about the credibility of this paritcular poster. But I will say that it’s entirely plausible to hear that a person is in a state that criminalizes sexual intercourse with persons under 16 and does not allow a “Romeo and Juliet” defense based on the claim that both participants were underage. Therefore, the OP’s claim of possible criminal liability is accurate. Technically. As a general proposition, though, it strikes me as highly unlikely that this is the sort of conduct would attract prosecutorial attention. The OP has done the prudent thing by contacting an attorney licensed to practice in her area, and she should follow that attorney’s advice. ETA: Either there’s more to the story that the attorney heard and we didn’t, or … there’s more to the story, period. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/71 "2011-01-18T03:17:14Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It isn’t actually illegal in 19 states. According to your own link, many states where the age of consent is older than 16 have exemptions for people who are close in age. There are indeed a few states where two 16 year olds who had sex with each other would be violating the law, but this is not the case in _every_ US state where the age of consent is 17+. Yes, (actually I miscounted, it’s 20, not 19) I know there are different considerations in many of the states, but the point I was trying to make was that it wasn’t a stretch that she lives in one of those states and that trying to force her to name her state to “prove” she lived there was pointless. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/72 "2011-01-18T03:18:53Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > I’d say just mind your own business and leave it alone. But you clearly won’t do that. And if this girl’s parents decide they don’t like it and have my nephew arrested, should I leave it alone then? You think I should just leave it alone when it means a 16 year old boy could find himself branded a sex offender. Seriously, do you know anyone with teenage sons or relatives, this is a serious matter. It’s not just two kids having sex. It’s a girl who is underage having sex in a country that is hyper sensitive about that. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/73 "2011-01-18T03:19:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The OP has done the prudent thing by contacting an attorney licensed to practice in her area, and she should follow that attorney’s advice. So, she should ruin a young girl’s life by having that girl labeled as a sex offender FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE, because she’s paranoid that the girl’s parents MIGHT POSSIBLY be upset that the girl in question was having consensual sex with **ZPG** ’s nephew. With no inkling that the girl’s parents even know, must less are upset. Because a raving lunatic can’t deal with teenagers’ sexual behavior. Is it possible, EVER, in your world, that attorneys might be wrong? Is it possible, ever, that attorneys might be incompetent? Or might be making recommendations based on their own biases and not on the reality of a situation? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/74 "2011-01-18T03:19:16Z")
Have you contacted either parent to see what they want done? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/75 "2011-01-18T03:20:02Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > And if this girl’s parents decide they don’t like it and have my nephew arrested, should I leave it alone then? You think I should just leave it alone when it means a 16 year old boy could find himself branded a sex offender. Seriously, do you know anyone with teenage sons or relatives, this is a serious matter. It’s not just two kids having sex. It’s a girl who is underage having sex in a country that is hyper sensitive about that. By that rationale, should they be accusing your nephew of rape so that you don’t get their daughter in trouble? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/76 "2011-01-18T03:21:23Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Yes, (actually I miscounted, it’s 20, not 19) I know there are different considerations in many of the states, but the point I was trying to make was that it wasn’t a stretch that she lives in one of those states and that trying to force her to name her state to “prove” she lived there was pointless. Oh, bullshit. In order to know the laws of her state in this situation, we need to know the state in which she lives. It’s as simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/77 "2011-01-18T03:24:43Z")
Am I the only irreligious person here praying to Og this kid isn’t going to be super fucked up and need decades of therapy after all this? Only one? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/78 "2011-01-18T03:24:59Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Yes, (actually I miscounted, it’s 20, not 19) I know there are different considerations in many of the states, but the point I was trying to make was that it wasn’t a stretch that she lives in one of those states and that trying to force her to name her state to “prove” she lived there was pointless. I’m not trying to force her to name her state to prove she (and her “nephew”) live there; I’m trying to force her to name her state so that her suppositions can be shown to be reasonable. Or not, as the case may be. Illinois and Yugoslavia appear to be passe. Well, where we at? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/79 "2011-01-18T03:25:05Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > And if this girl’s parents decide they don’t like it and have my nephew arrested, should I leave it alone then? You think I should just leave it alone when it means a 16 year old boy could find himself branded a sex offender. Seriously, do you know anyone with teenage sons or relatives, this is a serious matter. It’s not just two kids having sex. It’s a girl who is underage having sex in a country that is hyper sensitive about that. This part is all fantasy in your head though. You’re fabricating this urgency that is not there based on this presumption that everybody out there is trying to cry rape on someone else, and because everybody else has a hair trigger, you better beat them to the punch. It’s fucking ridiculous, and everyone has told you so. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028/80 "2011-01-18T03:25:44Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Am I the only irreligious person here praying to Og this kid isn’t going to be super fucked up and need decades of therapy after all this? > > Only one? Well, I’m not irreligious, but I’m doing the same thing. There’s NO WAY these nieces and nephews that are so open to sharing their thoughts with **ZPG** are going to be normal productive citizens. Of course, she’s not either, so maybe that’s her goal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-teenage-sex-question/568028.md?page=5)