Legal Question in Discrimination Law in South Dakota

Legal Dating Ages

My friend and I are hangin out with some friends that are 20 and 22 and we are 16...is it legal for us to do stuff with them or even date them?


Asked on 5/06/07, 5:33 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Regina Mullen Legal Data Services, PLC

Re: Legal Dating Ages

If by "hanging out" and "doing stuff" you mean having sex...it depends on the age of consent in your state.

But, why would you want to? Or more importantly, why would THEY want to? There's a HUGE difference between 16 and 20/22.

You asked for advice, so here it is: find people your own age to hang with, it's better for you and safer for them.

If you must have sex, use protection.

The first protection is not to have sex until you're either 18 and living under your own roof (ha ha!). No, seriously.

The second is to use a condom, even if it's "just" oral sex. No matter what your partner says. If you get a disease, it's all on you. If you get pregnant, you're hurting your own child by not having a stable parenting relationship in advance.

The third is that if you must have sex, find someone your own age, ideally yourself. Masturbation by yourself with yourself is legal no matter what age you are.

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Answered on 5/07/07, 4:16 pm


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