Should claiming ignorance to an underage lover be enough to get statutory rape charges dropped?

You know, on one hand it is understandable because how many guys ask a woman 'how old are you?' before they jump in the sack? But on the other hand, if it were that easy, EVERY guy who sleeps with a minor could say that and get off.

If he genuinely didn't know, perhaps. These fast ass girls out here are something else.

I think we may have already discussed Doug Hutchinson and his child bride Courtney Stodden. I believe she was 16 when they married but I'm willing to bet she looked like this when she was 15.



It would suck for some guy to do time for unknowingly doing a minor that looks like this.

I don't think that any should be given a pass due to claiming ignorance on her age. As soon as that happens, guys who know are going to get out of the charges more and more often.

ANY man who meets the girl in a bar should not get charged. Remember Rob Lowe was with the girls he met in the bar. Wouldn't you assume if they were in a bar being served that they were over 21????

In that instance, I would let them off

RedBedroom wrote:

I don't think that any should be given a pass due to claiming ignorance on her age. As soon as that happens, guys who know are going to get out of the charges more and more often.

I agree. I can dismiss short term ignorance but if this was an ongoing affair, then at some point the adult in the situation should have started to pick up some clues and asked questions. If you've been sleeping with a 16 year old for 6 months and had no inkling that they were underage, then that's probably willful ignorance.

Claiming that they didn't know is a weak defense. The question is were they lied to? If a 16 year old claimed she was 20, then hear him out....if age was never discussed then .

Well... I was 12yrs old, and easily could pass for 18-- my chest was already huge. I dated a guy who told me he was 17, and I told him I was 17. Turned out he was 20. We both lied... we just made out... but looking back now... yeah, he should have known. But he was HOT with these gorgeous green eyes, so i didnt really care when i found out his age lol

wants2laugh wrote:

ANY man who meets the girl in a bar should not get charged. Remember Rob Lowe was with the girls he met in the bar. Wouldn't you assume if they were in a bar being served that they were over 21????

In that instance, I would let them off

I was going to bring this one up, you know when you meet them in a bar you REALLY are NOT going to be thinking that they're 15, 16 unless they look like they are.

Ah, I lived a lucky life.

Hippie Crash Pad, New Orleans, Runaway Girl (probably 15). I'da gone to jail for the dope anyway and at least they didn't have a lifetime sexual predator list back then. Still statutory rape charges for doing a girl who willfully consented (and even pulled ur dick outta ur pants) seems a complete waste of the judicial system and ruining lives for nothing. Same as the dope tho.

There is no justice - only luck!

Chris wrote:

Should claiming ignorance to an underage lover be enough to get statutory rape charges dropped?

Generally speaking I don't think there should be such a law as "statutory rape" to begin with. I don't believe in charging people for "victim-less" crimes. If there is no victim, then nobody is "guilty" of anything. Maybe if statutory laws were actually consistent from place to place I might have a different perspective, but clearly they are not. My opinion is this: if sex is consensual, then it's not "rape" and if its not consensual, then it is! That should apply whether the person in question is 15, 18, 35 or 80.

How would you know if they are lying or not?