Ask Me Help Desk - I want him charged

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altenweg

Please don't neg this post. I'm not a legal expert, I'm just going through all of this in my mind, and I have a few questions, or statements as it were.

First, I do live in Canada. Yes, the age of consent used to be 14, but it's now 16.

One thing that bothers me about this. When children post, or legal adults post, saying "I'm 18 (or older) dating a 13,14, 15, 16, 17 year old. Is that legal?", the legal response has always been that if the parents are okay with it, it's legal to date, but not to have sex.

Any parent that allows their child to date an adult, has to assume that sex (or sexual contact) is a part of that relationship.

In this case the OP was aware that her daughter was dating an older man. She may not have agreed with it, but she okayed it. It also doesn't seem that she did a lot to prevent them from living together. The time to act would have been then.

The OP didn't get upset until her daughter became pregnant. Isn't it a bit late to object now? What did the OP think was going on while they were living together? She allowed that (not doing anything to stop it legally is allowing it), but now that there's a baby she wants to sue? How is that okay?

Either the child had parental consent to be with this person, or she didn't. It sounds like she did, therefore I see no law suit.

Just my opinion. :)

You are confusing the burden of legal proof with common sense. Should a parent whose child is dating an adult "assume" there is sexual activity? Legally, no, and this is a legal board. I understand what you are saying, but your argument is not legally sound.

I suspect you knew this or you wouldn't have started with a disclaimer of sorts.

I don't see any talk of a lawsuit in OP's post - I see a question about arresting the male for having sexual contact with her female child. In fact, I don't know what the basis for a lawsuit would be, could be, might be. Arrest, yes. Lawsuit, no. Maybe I'm missing something. Please don't negative me if I am.

The daughter was legal age (16) when she moved in with the boyfriend. What would you have suggested that she do to stop the relationship? I'm not in Canada so I don't know what's available.

I DO know that in the US once the child is of legal age there is little (or nothing) a parent can do.

Should the parent have stopped the relationship earlier in the game? Was the child out of control before she met the "boyfriend?" I don't know, but I suspect so. Parent says she tried to reason with child, but child wouldn't listen. Makes me wonder when the parent lost the ability to, in fact, parent. I don't think this is a one-time "she isn't listening to me" problem.

But I am reading into the post, of course, adding possible background which is not posted. The question is the here and now on a legal board - so none of this matters.

For a discussion board? Sure, good topic. What can/should a parent do when a child of age gets involved with an older, possibly unacceptable person of the other sex? Good topic.