Do you think it is right that a 14 yr old boy is registered as a sex offender for having sex with a 12 yr old girl?

Question

A 14-year-old boy will be labeled as a sex offender for life after being arrested for having sex with his 12-year-old girlfriend — a “really sick” possibility, according to his family.

Do you think it is right that a 14 yr old boy is registered as a sex offender for having sex with a 12 yr old girl?

The unidentified seventh-grader has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child in Texas’ Harris County, despite a law that exempts some teens from being classified as sex offenders for having consensual sex with someone within three years of their age.

For instance, the so-called “Romeo and Juliet” law allows a 17-year-old to legally have sex with a 14-year-old. But that rule doesn’t apply if one of the parties is under 14 years of age, the Houston Chronicle reports.

“He had consensual sex with his little girlfriend and he loved her,” the teen’s mother told the newspaper. “And because he turned 14, they want to make him a sex offender, put him on the registry with pedophiles and child molesters — really sick and dangerous people.”

The boy’s lawyer said his client wouldn’t be facing charges and the possibility of registering as a sex offender had the teens been the same age, and he would be seen as the victim under the letter of the law if the other person was 18 or older.

“It defeats the whole purpose of the Romeo and Juliet defense where you have two people relatively close in age and maturity,” said the boy’s lawyer, Joseph Gutheinz. “You would think the law would be more sympathetic as you go younger, because both parties are immature.”

Attorneys in Texas said charges filed in connection to a consensual sexual relationship between minors aren’t rare in Harris County.

“I had that exact fact pattern that I fought for a year,” said Jackie Stewart Gravois, an attorney for the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. “They ended up dismissing it because, ultimately, everyone agreed it was a consensual act.”

Prosecutors in that case were assured there was no violence or threat of force between the students, who were also in junior high at the time, Gravois said.

YES

NO

Select age and gender to cast your vote:

GirlGuy

Answer 1

Tequilafish

Xper 2

Honestly you shouldn't even be having sex at 14 let alone with someone who is still in the starting stage of puberty 🙊 but with in a three year age gap is reasonable after 14 in my opinion before 14 girls (and I suspect guys as well) are very vunrable to being led into sexual thing they originally would never do, I at 12 was sexual assulted by an older friend because I wanted to fit in and it still haunts me, at the time it didn't set in what was happening but I look back and I want to cry, this may not be the case here but the laws are there for a reason and children shouldn't be having sex.

Answer 2

raspberry0416 | 158 opinions shared on Society & Politics topic.

Xper 6

Seems like they are drawing the line at 14. That's probably the age of consent in Texas. Honestly that's pretty darn low. I don't think anyone should be having sex until they are at least 16/17.

Answer 3

Anonymous

No especially since girls mature earlier than guys anyway so they're probably at the same stage of development

Answer 4

Anonymous

Gynocentric society.

Men are too busy worshipping, kissing women ass and fighting among their brothers that they don't see they are becoming second class citizens each day.

Guess it doesn't matter to guys as long as they get their balls drained.

Answer 5

Boredquestionman

Xper 1

I don't think it's right for a 14 to have sex with a 12 year old her maturity is lacking so much it ridiculous however a 14 year old is far from mature also and a lifelong label like that is way to harsh

Answer 6

COCOCHANEL | 3K opinions shared on Society & Politics topic.

Influencer

no, they are both really young and boyfriend girlfriend so what is the issue here

Answer 7

purplechan

Xper 3

And this is why you shouldn't have sex when you're that young. But no, it's not right to treat him with sexual assault, especially since it was consensual sex.

Answer 8

menina | 3.5K opinions shared on Society & Politics topic.

Master

No, it's not right because they're close in age. And he didn't rape her.
However, they shouldn't be having sex at the ages of 14 and 12.

Answer 9

creativecookie

Xper 3

obviously not, it wasn't even rape or anything like that

Answer 10

Dog19

Yoda

This is terrible... But these are the laws of America.

Words_and_Wisdom

+1 y
Just because it's 'the law' doesn't make it right.
Thisperson98

+1 y
@Words_and_Wisdom yup, and that is why there is jury nullification, but unfortunately judges are very likely to find you in contempt if it is argued.
Dog19

+1 y
@Thisperson98 woman have so much protection and safety when it comes to the law. If it was a 14 year old girl and 12 year old boy had sex there would be no chrages.
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Thisperson98

+1 y
Yes, but do you realize what I said? Jury nullification is when the jury disregards the law.

Answer 11

Words_and_Wisdom

Just because it's 'the law' doesn't make it right.

Answer 12

Thisperson98

@Words_and_Wisdom yup, and that is why there is jury nullification, but unfortunately judges are very likely to find you in contempt if it is argued.

Answer 13

Dog19

@Thisperson98 woman have so much protection and safety when it comes to the law. If it was a 14 year old girl and 12 year old boy had sex there would be no chrages.