15 year old/21 year old dating laws? Washington

[SellingYouADream]

Okay, so there is this guy who is 21 years old. I'm 15, by the way. I told him around 6 months ago that I liked him. He stated that he liked me back. We still like eachother. He doesn't live in Washington... yet. He is moving here within the next year or so for college. I was just wondering... what the laws were when it comes to dating at those ages. My friend told me you had to be 16 to date someone 21. I wanted to know about the whole sexual interaction laws in relationships like that too.
Help.
I really don't know any of the laws when it comes to anything like this.
Thanks.

[cyjeff]

Dating is not against the law - unless your parents say no.

However, if you guys do anything hotter than a kiss on the cheek and you are under 16, he goes to jail. If you guys have sex before you are 18, you are sending him to jail.

check out www.promotetruth.org for more details.

Bottom line - wait until you are 18 then date him all you want.

[SellingYouADream]

Okay, wait. So obviously.. I knew sex was out of the question until I'm 18, but you said if it's anything hotter than a kiss on the cheek when I'm under 16 then he can go to jail. How far could you go if you're 16 then?
Wow, confused about that.

[cyjeff]

Okay, wait. So obviously.. I knew sex was out of the question until I'm 18, but you said if it's anything hotter than a kiss on the cheek when I'm under 16 then he can go to jail. How far could you go if you're 16 then?
Wow, confused about that.

You wouldn't be if you actually went to the site.

(1) A person is guilty of child molestation in the third degree when the person has, or knowingly causes another person under the age of eighteen to have, sexual contact with another who is at least fourteen years old but less than sixteen years old and not married to the perpetrator and the perpetrator is at least forty-eight months older than the victim.

(2) Child molestation in the third degree is a class C felony.

(2) "Sexual contact" means any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person done for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire of either party or a third party.

The lips could be considered an intimate part.

In other words..... as I said, if you do anything more than peck him on the cheek he gets to defend himself in open court from a class C felony.

As for when you are over 16, you probably should talk to your parents. I know it will be weird, but the last thing you want to do is force their hand. You would now be old enough where your relationship would not be covered by existing law... unless your parents take out an order against your boyfriend.

The best way to make sure that doesn't happen is to talk to them FIRST.

[SellingYouADream]

You wouldn't be if you actually went to the site.

That was a bit rude.
Anyway, thanks for your help.
It's highly appreciated and maybe I will check out that site now.

[joluko]

Age of consent in Washington state is 16 unless the older person is in a position of authority (teacher, etc..).

You can read the statutory rape laws for yourself over at moraloutrage.net.
http://moraloutrage.net/staticpages/...age=Washington

Regards,
Joluko

[cbg]

Age of consent laws mean diddly if the kid is under 18 and the parents say no.

Why do so many idiots believe that as soon as a minor child reaches the age of consent the parents have no further control?

[SellingYouADream]

Age of consent laws mean diddly if the kid is under 18 and the parents say no.

Why do so many idiots believe that as soon as a minor child reaches the age of consent the parents have no further control?

So when I turn 16 in a few months and my parents consent to our relationship, then it doesn't really matter what we do?
I read somewhere that the law in Washington is that the age of consent in Washington is 16, but the person can only be three years older than the minor... so I'm confused. People here are saying the age of consent is 16 with parent permission, but I read that the person can't be more than three years older than you also..

[cyjeff]

That changes it from a charge of statutory rape to a misdemeanor sexual misconduct with a minor.

You are still a minor at 16. He still goes to prison... just for a shorter period of time.

[pirate11]

Parental lecture time

I will temporarily fill in for your Dad as I know what he will say: A 21 year old and a 15 year old have no business being in a relationship as there is no mental link unless of course he suffers from some sort of mental illness. No offense. The only common link is sex despite all protests otherwise. You spend a short portion of your life going through the teenage years but the choices you make during that time will affect you. Example, if you start dating a guy who has had way too many arrests for burglary and he has an addiction to heroin but you are convinced he is "oh so hot" you can expect to possibly contract Hepatitus, miss a prom because your "hotty" is in jail or end up in a stolen car because "boy genius" needed a ride so he could go to the pawn shop. The truth is that a 21 year old will never bring you around his friends as he would be too embarrased to let everyone know that he has a 15 year old girlfriend. You would not be introduced to his parents as they would grab him by the ear and chew him out for going out with a 15 year old. A 21 year old can tell you all sorts of lies in order to get you into bed but don't expect anything other than that. If you were my daughter and you brought home any boy older than 17, I would politely show the young man the door. If he protested I would let him feel the soles of my boots on his backside. Life is too short to date an older guy, stick with the ones closer to your age.

[SellingYouADream]

See... everyone says that.
"A 21 year old has no business dating a 15 year old. We are mentally different."
I am actually very mature for my age. I have had quite a lot of life experiences that has caused that rapid maturity increase.
He is not mentally different from any other 21 year old. He is VERY intelligent, and doesn't have any sort of mental illness. It's not that he's attracted to me physically. I know that because we talked before even seeing eachother in person [Yes, we have met in person WITH my parents around... my mom adores him.]. He was attracted to me because of my personality, and vice-versa. I don't think age has absolutely ANYTHING to do with anything at all. If the younger person is mature enough to understand what they're getting themselves into [which I do] and the older one is okay with any risk, then let them be.
He would never interfere with my schooling at all, nor would he do anything to be put into jail for. He is a respectful, mature, intelligent, funny, sincere, honest, caring guy. The man doesn't want sex, trust me. He's quite the Christian and quite the virgin still... that makes him sound like such a nerd, but really, he's just a faithful Christian.

Nothing is going to happen between us two anyways.
I was just wondering IF it was even legally possible.

You tell me to stick to my age, but since girls mature faster than boys, and I am mature for my age, it's quite hard to find myself attracted to any boy my age. The youngest I've been attracted to was 18... and even then they can be quite immature.

My dad wouldn't say that anyways. My dad is very open-minded and lets me do what I want. He lets us pick what religion we want to be, what we want to do as a career, how we wish to spend our money, and anything like that. He may be questionable about it, but if you met this guy, you would think totally different of the whole situation.

[mommyof4]

Here's a thought...

If you are so mature for your age, why do you insist that you are so mature that the law does not or should not apply to you as it does to every other citizen in this country? THAT is a sign that you are not quite as mature as you repeatedly proclaim.

Here's another point...your dad may be the biggest free love, free thinking being on the face of the earth. That does NOT give him the right to condone, allow, permit, endorse, etc anyone to commit a criminal offense with/against you or you to commit a criminal offense. The only thing it will assure is that HE is at risk of facing criminal charges, along with your man friend.

[pirate11]

15 year old vs 21 year old.

"See... everyone says that" Yes, everyone does say that because "everyone" is right. Listen to everyone, they have been there and know what they are talking about. I am glad he is a good Christian boy that means he has a good foundation. He also has testosterone which when "properly activated" can cause a good boy to go bad very quickly. I have no doubt you are mature and yes, boys at 15 are not as mature as you. However, there are some boys who are mature enough if you give them a chance. Those of us who have been a teenager at one point in our lives know that hormones do rule! You cannot escape them. Those of us who have been 21 also are very much aware that a 21 year old has nothing in common with a 15 year old. A 30 year old has very little in common with a 21 year old. A 50 year old has very little in common with a 30 year old...and so on. It is all relative. So if I understand you correctly "everyone" has given you the truth. You are so lucky to have people be absolutely honest with you about your question. It appears that you don't like the truth. Also, reading between the lines to your questions it appears that you are thinking of being intimate with this adult as you are so interested in what would happen to him if "it" happened. A person is considered an adult at the age of 18. That does not mean they are prepared for life, mature or able to make the best decisions. I know 30 year olds who could use a lesson in maturity. Being a parent isn't easy. However, it can be made easy by being way too open minded. Unfortunately you end up with a child who gets herself into trouble due to lack of guidance. I don't mean to slam your dad with that statement, children don't come with owners manuals so it is all a big guessing game. If you guess wrong then it affects the child. Help Dad and Mom out and avoid a relationship with an adult no matter how nice he is.

Pirate

[turbowray]

Honey, where did you meet this gentleman? If it was on the internet, where you spoke before you met (as you quoted), he is an internet predator, there is a law against meeting somene not of age, from the inernet, even though nothing has happened (so you say, sorry, I don't feel like you would say that you did something, if you did). He has allready broken the law, by speaking to you about a relationship online, finding out where you live, and meeting your family, predator laws are different from just meeting someone at work, or at the store. I would suggest never speaking to him again, and counting your blessings that he is not in jail allready.

[demartian]

See... everyone says that.
"A 21 year old has no business dating a 15 year old. We are mentally different."
I am actually very mature for my age. I have had quite a lot of life experiences that has caused that rapid maturity increase.
He is not mentally different from any other 21 year old. He is VERY intelligent, and doesn't have any sort of mental illness. It's not that he's attracted to me physically. I know that because we talked before even seeing eachother in person [Yes, we have met in person WITH my parents around... my mom adores him.]. He was attracted to me because of my personality, and vice-versa. I don't think age has absolutely ANYTHING to do with anything at all. If the younger person is mature enough to understand what they're getting themselves into [which I do] and the older one is okay with any risk, then let them be.
He would never interfere with my schooling at all, nor would he do anything to be put into jail for. He is a respectful, mature, intelligent, funny, sincere, honest, caring guy. The man doesn't want sex, trust me. He's quite the Christian and quite the virgin still... that makes him sound like such a nerd, but really, he's just a faithful Christian.

Nothing is going to happen between us two anyways.
I was just wondering IF it was even legally possible.

You tell me to stick to my age, but since girls mature faster than boys, and I am mature for my age, it's quite hard to find myself attracted to any boy my age. The youngest I've been attracted to was 18... and even then they can be quite immature.

My dad wouldn't say that anyways. My dad is very open-minded and lets me do what I want. He lets us pick what religion we want to be, what we want to do as a career, how we wish to spend our money, and anything like that. He may be questionable about it, but if you met this guy, you would think totally different of the whole situation.

At 15, everyone told me I was very mature for my age... Of course, at 15, I was interrested in Science, Mathematics and Music, not dating... Decades later, you know what! The Science, Mathematics and Music carried me through. Dating isn't all it's cracked up to be until you've known the world much better, like 30 years or more better...