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About Ed Buckner
Expertise
Nationally known freethinker will answer questions on church and state, including giving specific quotations and historical or logical support on religious liberty questions. I`m an expert on the U.S. Constitution, First Amendment, and the Treaty with Tripoli (1796-97). I am a Regional Director for the Council for Secular Humanism, active in the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and a leader of the Atlanta Freethought Society and The Georgia Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. I earned a Ph.D.in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University in 1983.

You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Political Science > 1st Amendment and Free Speech > adult dating a minor

Topic: 1st Amendment and Free Speech

Expert: Ed Buckner
Date: 1/25/2008
Subject: adult dating a minor

Question
my boyfriend is 20 im almost 16 what can happen to him because of the age difference and is there anything we could do to get around it ive heard some talk about when your 16 you can date anyone up to 24 but im not sure how it works? help

Answer
Dear Kristyn,

I'm not really an expert on this, but I know a little about it. The age of consent--the age when someone is considered by law old enough to marry or to knowingly agree to sex--varies from one state to another. If a person is not yet that old and has sex with an adult, the adult can indeed get into big trouble--get charged with statutory rape and be labelled a sex offender and have his life ruined. It may even be possible for this to happen to him if you don't have sex, if someone accuses him of having sex with a minor.

All those involved, or who might be, should talk to an adult you trust--a high school counselor, a parent, etc.--or some agency like Planned Parenthood or maybe the ACLU--to see what your rights and your risks are where you live.

Be careful.

Regards,

Ed Buckner

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