Can a 16 year old date a 30 year and if so, is it bad?
A good friend of mine is 16 and really likes a 30 year guy. She asks me is it OK to just date him( not have sex). I'm not sure myself and I thought a lot about it.
It is not statutory rape, it is creepy, and if it is against parental authority it may fall under other statutes.
It is definitely a mistake for the 30-year-old. This is not just a matter of age difference but culture and life-experience difference.
Dating is not regulated by law.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_the_United_States#Arkansas
A person becomes an adult at the age of majority, which In most states is 18. Exceptions are Alabama & Nebraska (19), and District of Columbia & Mississippi (21). Until then, the parents pretty much control their life, including whom they date. If the parents wish, they can report "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" if someone interferes with their control. After reaching the age of majority, the new adult can date anyone, leave home against their parent's wishes, live where they want, associate with anybody they wish, pay their own bills and bail themselves out of jail.
Dating a minor UNDER the age of consent -- without sexual contact -- is not illegal as long as the parents or guardians are OK with it. If they are not, the parents or guardians could file police reports that result in charges of "Contributing to the delinquency of a minor" or "Interference with Custody" or something else that might be appropriate in that particular state. Likewise, dating a minor who is OVER the age of consent -- with or without sexual contact -- is not illegal as long as the parents or guardians are OK with it. Legal does not mean wise.
Even with the best of intentions otherwise, dating relationships often become sexual relationships. If sexual contact is involved, the ages of the couple, the nature of the sexual contact, whether it was consensual or not, when it took place, and the state in which it took place would be important to know. Their particular state may or may not have specific laws that apply to the relationship.
If sexually suggestive photos of a person under 18 are taken and/or shared (sexting), federal laws regarding production, distribution, and possession of child pornography come into play. There may also be state laws prohibiting the action. These can charges carry lengthy prison sentences. Wisconsin’s law carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence.
In general, to be completely safe, adults should not "date" children.
In Wisconsin, a person is considered an adult at the age of 18 for purposes of being a victim and at the age of 17 for purposes of being a criminal. Thus, two 17-year-olds can both be charged, as adults, with having sexual intercourse with a child.
And one more thing: many people would consider dating an excessively young person to be "creepy". There is a rule of thumb is that it’s only OK to be interested in someone who is one-half your age plus seven years. This gives rise to the Creepiness Formula:
Dating someone that is older than ½(your age) + 7 = Not Creepy
and the reciprocal,
Dating someone that is younger than ½(your age) + 7 = Creepy
According to the formula, it is not creepy for an 18-year-old to date a 16-year-old, but dating anyone younger is Officially Creepy.
Much of above copied from responses by Atty. Gary Ilmanen of California.
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The age of consent is 16. With that said he could get in trouble if she does anything against her parent's wishes to be around him or with him. Also, there is the "ick" factor of a 30 year old dating a 16 year old. This grown, adult man dating a 16 year old? Why, what is he looking for? You thought about it, now she needs to think about it.
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