When teenagers begin to date, usually they meet at school and most often, they are the same age. As teens branch out however, meeting people from other schools, hanging out with people from work and meeting new people in the community, they sometimes date older men or women.

• Legal Age Gap For Relationships
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When a teenager under the age of 17 dates someone that is 17 or older in Illinois, the relationship can get complicated.

Statutory rape is any type of sexual intercourse that occurs between someone under the age of consent, which is 17 in Illinois, and someone that is a legal adult (18). Essentially what this means is that if someone under 17 and someone 18 or older in Illinois willingly have sex, charges can still be filed against the older person because the partner is a minor.

The age of majority is not the same as the legal drinking age, which is 21. The age of majority is not when health insurance coverage under a parent ends, which is 26. The age of majority is not the same as the age of emancipation, or when a young adult (usually 16 years old) can petition the courts to grant them the same rights as the legal adult. Nov 30, 2017 The age at which one is considered a legal adult in the US is typically 18. What defines a legal adult is ability to legally work, participate in contracts, vote, marry, give sexual consent, and join the military. Being a legal adult under 21 does not give one the right in most states to purchase alcohol, however. The law does not care what your age is, just the age of the other person. It is possible, in Wisconsin, for two 17 year olds to both be charged as adults with having sexual intercourse with a child. As was pointed out, people may think more is happening in a dating relationship than is. Age of Consent in Nevada: 5 Things to Know. Under NRS 200.364, the legal age of consent to have sex in Nevada is 16 years of age. However, Nevada also has a Romeo and Juliet exception: Minors age 14 or 15 may have consensual sex with partners less than four years older. Having sex with someone below the age of consent, and not. The law goes on to spell out that 'if the victim is at least 14 but less than 16 years of age and the person convicted of statutory rape is 18 or younger and is no more than four years older than the victim, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.' This means that a 17-year-old convicted of having sexual contact with a 14-year-old in.

Although this law typically pertains to men and women that are significantly older than their underage significant other, it also technically applies even to high school students who may only be a couple months apart in age. In those few months in which one partner has reached the age of consent while the other has not, they are committing statutory rape when participating in sexual activities.

More often now than ever, high school students are having sex. It may be from peer pressure and it may also be attributed to the fact that kids are simply growing up faster than they used to, physically and mentally. If you are a teen or if you have a teen that may be considering having sex, be sure that he or she understands the seriousness of the activity.

Not only is sex a big deal mentally and physically, but also emotionally, and it could be legally too. Most parents will not press charges against their son’s or daughter’s boyfriend or girlfriend if they are just a year older, but older people may get into more trouble. An underage person having sex, even with a significant other, who is much older, is putting that significant other at risk of getting in trouble with the law.

If you have been charged with statutory rape or any other form of rape, or perhaps you are considering charging someone else with rape, contact a criminal attorney in Rolling Meadows, Ill. for help. Attorney Chris Cosley will help you through the court process to get the outcome that you want today.

What are the laws for a 17 year old dating a 21 year old?

What can a 17 year girl do/not do with a 21 year old guy? Things like chilling out with him without parental consent if that’s considered kidnapping or against the law where he can get into trouble? Or can I live with him or do sexual things with him all things that won’t get him in trouble? Even if my parents make stuff up and I say they’re lying will he be OK?

Asked on September 25, 2011 under Criminal Law, Michigan

Answers:

MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Legal Age Gap For Relationships

Answered 10 years ago Contributor

Reference

First of all, if you are the 17 year old, please keep in mind that your actions as a minor can and most likely will impact your future, his future and your parents' future. A 17 year old is a minor. A 21 year old is an adult. In every state, there are laws that cover sex and sexual contact between minors and adults and what is considered illegal. Your parents can get him and you into deep hot water if they report this to the police. Any record of his arrest will be on his record permanently and further, if he is convicted, he will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and it will impact where he can live and work. Further, it may cost your parents thousands of dollars in legal fees to sue him in order to protect you. If this record is published, anyone can find out about it on the internet and it won't be long until someone traces it to you. So you cannot live with him or have any sexual contact with him. Further, your state laws may also actually address the hanging out with minors thing as well but I am unclear on the specifics. It may be advisable to simply wait until you are 18 so you don't get caught in a quagmire of civil and criminal actions as witness or victim, respectively. You can also consider talking to an attorney but ultimately, there are many things that could happen that would be out of your control.

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