Imagine a 19 year old dating a 26 year old. Is the age gap acceptable or is it considered grooming?

[BrownSugar00]

[Lliam]

I hardly think grooming could be involved. She's 19 years old and well past the age on consent. She's not a child and I doubt if she is innocent and naive. Plus, 26 isn't very old for a guy.
If they are attracted to each other, the age difference makes no difference.

[BrownSugar00]

Anyone can be groomed at any age.

[Lliam]

Certainly. See how the masses of people are groomed by government, corporate media, advertisers, etc. There are a lot of weak minded, ignorant dupes out there, regardless of their level of education.

[BrownSugar00]

Just saying, would you be ok with your daughter dating or marrying a 26/27 year old man?

[Lliam]

Would she be so stupid at that age that he could "groom" her? If so, I did a really crappy job of raising her.
I would like to think that I could trust my 19 year old daughter's intelligence and good judgement.

I don't understand your concern.

[Anonymous]

I don't see anything wrong with that particular age gap but if it were a bigger age gap I definitely would see it as concerning.

I've strongly believed my cousin was groomed when she was 22. She had been with the same guy since she was 14. they were together for 8 years when suddenly soon after that break up, out of nowhere, here comes this 40 year old guy who proposed to her 5 months later.

[Tim2nice]

Duh. You can’t groom an adult. You can sugar date them or manipulate them, but grooming refers to kiddy fiddling

[Apple1996]

@Tim2nice grooming can happen at any age. It isn't limited to kids

[HelpfulWoman]

I always say that morally if you're over 20, date over 20's. anything else just gives low key pedo and red flag vibes.
Like why you going after very very newly legal people? is that because you need them naive to deal with?

[Avicenna]

It's fine, both are adults. I've known a number of people who had that sort of age gap and got married.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

When I was 2 months short of 26, I was asked out by the hottest 19 yo I’ve seen in years. I had to turn it down, because I was leaving the country, was fresh out of break up and I was also sure we did not want the same things in life.

But I am sure had I taken the opportunity I’d have a pretty nice memory about him.

As long as both of us are adults, I don’t see how’s that “grooming”?

[Summeroflove]

They are adults. It’s not that big of a deal. As long as they are happy and there isn’t abuse

[Apple1996]

Could be grooming but would depend on the situation. Either way a 26 year old shouldn't be messing with teens. Even if they are adults they are still immature and barely out of high school

[Kaneki05]

Could be but also couldn't be one can't say one way or another hence why it's legal and left to hoping it's not. Unlike with kids where it mostly always will be.

[Anonymous]

19 is still actually a teenager. nine (teen). still not acceptable, morally. legally, you can. but i don't see what a teen has in common with a 26 year old. someone already past their mid 20's.

[wiltingrosepetal]

Not grooming, but concerning. It can work out but it's just as likely that the older individual can take advantage of them

[FunkyMonkee]

I don't have to imagine it, I've already done it. My first girlfriend was 18 (a week shy of her 19th b-day) and I was 24 (3 weeks shy of my 25th b-day).
My parents were 10 years apart!

[DevikaButts95]

It's not grooming. Is it acceptable? Eh. Can be concerning; mainly if the guy is the older one but it also possible for it to be a relationship that works out. At that point, it's not really our place to judge anymore.

[TomMarks]

19 to 26 is acceptable. If you had said 16 to 23 that would not be. At 19 every place where I am considers her an adult.

[Anonymous]

its not grooming, but its pretty weird and kinda creepy. besides 7 years is an extreme age gap

[JacobJordan]

You do realize grooming only applies to children... you know... those under the age of 18. 19 is an adult 26 is an adult.

[NotInterestedSorry]

No it doesn't. A quick search on google you will find grooming can also happen with adults as well

[JacobJordan]

@NotInterestedSorry entirely different scope of grooming that far more closely aligns to manipulation than grooming.

[BrownSugar00]

Anyone at any age can be groomed. It doesn't apply to just a specific age group.

[JacobJordan]

whether or not it can be applied the definition in any form does not apply to this relationship given the evidence presented. unless the poster has information that is not being shared such things like a drastic power dynamic then it would not be grooming. it is just an age gap. the issue here is the use of the term grooming when there is zero evidence to even suggest it is. it is a very foolish thing to suggest with no evidence and why? just because they have a 7 year age gap? according to the legalities of the term it requires some form of power dynamic or similar.

tldr: given the evidence presented by the asker (which was zero evidence) of course this isn't "grooming"

[Tim2nice]

You can’t groom an adult. You can manipulate them but grooming refers to children

[NotInterestedSorry]

Not true. Adults can also be groomed. A quick search of Google you can find information to confirm this

[Staximus]

19 years old is not a kid. It's old enough to go die in a stupid war. My parents were married at 20.

[eagle1951]

i say if they are of age, it's up to them, who are we to Judge

[Paris13]

No Big Deal on This Age. xxoo

[Anonymous]

How in the holy fuck could it be considered "grooming" if both people are full adults? What do you think the definition of "adult" is?

[BrownSugar00]

Ignorance. Adults and children at any age can be groomed.

[Opinion Owner]

If that's the case, then why was the age of the two parties included in this question? Wouldn't it be irrelevant? In which case wouldn't your response apply to the original question as well as to my answer?

[BrownSugar00]

Wow... do you need a tutor to break it down for you? How would it not be irrelevant to the question? How are the ages irrelevant if adults can be groomed? Your statement does not only not make any sense, but it doesn't justify how adults can't be groomed.

[Matilde03]

Ur both adults. It is fine.

[sheikalana]

Is not shocking to me.

[Joker_]

that's grooming

[B5567]

Grooming 🥸

[BrownSugar00]

I agree

[Adogdog]

I think it's okay. I'm 27.

[BrownSugar00]

so what if you were 19?

[Adogdog]

I want a girl younger than me

[BrownSugar00]

how come? what's the reasons?

[Adogdog]

Just a preference.

[BrownSugar00]

so what if you were 19 and she was 26. how do you feel about that?

[Adogdog]

Not really sure

[BrownSugar00]

why not so sure?

[slatyb]

Grooming is about children, not adults.

[NotInterestedSorry]

Adults can also be groomed. Especially if there is a big age gap.

[Tim2nice]

@NotInterestedSorry no. Adults can be manipulated but not groomed. If you have google in phone check it up

[rosemilk]

adults CAN still be groomed. "Grooming can happen when there is a power differential within a relationship, which the abuser exploits for their own gratification. This is most commonly recognised as a tactic used by perpetrators of child sexual abuse, both on children and parents. However, adults can also be groomed."
DUH

[BrownSugar00]

So you're saying adults can't get groomed and adults who do get groomed does not matter?

[slatyb]

@NotInterestedSorry true, but that happens where one has some power over the other, managerial, academic, or otherwise.

[shortster]

You are both adults. So it is acceptable.

[Al_Musafir]

All good.

[dudeinohio]

Acceptable

[JackStany]

Its normal

[exitseven]

its all good.