What is the actual law about adults sleeping with adolescents?

Sam F: What is the actual law about adults sleeping with adolescents?
Someone told me there isnt an actual law saying, say and 18 year old, cant sleep with a 16 year old? What are the laws for the state of Texas about adults having relationships with youth, and the actual law please, not just yes or no. Thanks!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Poppin Bottles 2010
You’re friend is an idiot because there certainly are laws, they’re called age of consent laws, look it up for your state.

Most states the age of consent is 16, if you’re in one of those states it would be legal to have consenting sex with an 18 year old.

Answer by inigo
if i may quote texas state code,

“if there’s grass on the field, it’s time to play ball.”

Answer by M
IN the UK its three years is ok.

i.e a 13 and 16 can do it.

but I think one has to be 16

Answer by Foremost authority
The laws very by state but what you are asking about is called statutory rape. Which means there is a law, or statute, declaring this a crime. Your source is all wet.

Answer by Zigzager 2
whoever told you that is lying because i happen to live in texas and everyone knows that there are laws about the kind of stuff! Since 18 is the age of “adulthood” or whatever they call it, anyone under 18 is considered a minor. And the laws clearly state that you can not have sex with anyone under the age of 18 because that is illegal even if the sex is agreed upon by both parties.

Answer by rickinnocal
Of course there’s a law.

It’s called “Age of Consent”, and in Texas it is 17. Once someone is 17, they can legally consent to sex with anyone else who is also over 17 – even if that person is 70.

If someone is 14 to 17 they can legally consent to sex with anyone less than three years older than they are. Sex with someone 13 or younger is illegal regardless of the other persons age. (Two 13 year olds who have sex with each other, for example, could BOTH be prosecuted)

Here is the actual law on the age of consent…
Penal Code Sec. 21.11. Indecency With a Child.
(a) A person commits an offense if, with a child younger than 17 years and not his spouse, whether the child is of the same or opposite sex, he:
(1) engages in sexual contact with the child; or
(2) exposes his anus or any part of his genitals, knowing the child is present, with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
(b) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor:
(1) was not more than three years older than the victim and of the opposite sex; and
(2) did not use duress, force, or a threat against the victim at the time of the offense.

Richard

Answer by Bob
There are no laws that say you can sleep with a 16 year old but if you do anything more than sleep you are in trouble.

Answer by elysialaw
Sec. 21.11. INDECENCY WITH A CHILD. (a) A person commits an offense if, with a child younger than 17 years of age, whether the child is of the same or opposite sex, the person:

(1) engages in sexual contact with the child or causes the child to engage in sexual contact; or

(2) with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person:

(A) exposes the person’s anus or any part of the person’s genitals, knowing the child is present; or

(B) causes the child to expose the child’s anus or any part of the child’s genitals.

(b) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor:

(1) was not more than three years older than the victim and of the opposite sex;

(2) did not use duress, force, or a threat against the victim at the time of the offense; and

(3) at the time of the offense:

(A) was not required under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register for life as a sex offender; or

(B) was not a person who under Chapter 62 had a reportable conviction or adjudication for an offense under this section.

(b-1) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor was the spouse of the child at the time of the offense.

(c) In this section, “sexual contact” means the following acts, if committed with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person:

(1) any touching by a person, including touching through clothing, of the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of a child; or

(2) any touching of any part of the body of a child, including touching through clothing, with the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of a person.

(d) An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is a felony of the second degree and an offense under Subsection (a)(2) is a felony of the third degree.

Answer by Anecdotal Evidence is Not Evidence
In Texas, the age of consent is 17. It’s considered an “affirmative defense” if there’s not more than three year’s age difference. That means it’s OK.

There are exceptions to that, such as the person 18 or older is in a position of trust, already registered as a sex offender, etc.

Check out the entire law for wording, exceptions, what sexual contact is and more.

Answer by AyHy
The age of consent in Texas is 17.

However, there’s an exception: if you’re less than three years older than the person you slept with AND you’re of the opposite sex, you cannot be prosecuted.

So, an 18 year old man can sleep with a 16 year old woman, but a 20 year old man cannot sleep with a 16 year old woman, and even a 17 year old woman cannot sleep with a 16 year old woman.

There’s also an exception to the exception: if you’re registered as a sex offender at age 18, you lose the right to sleep with a 16 year old.

This is set forth in Texas Penal Code 21.11, “Indecency with a Child.”