I am 16 years old and I wanted to know if it was illegal for my boyfriend to be 21 years old. I know that the age of consent in Georgia is 16, but what exactly does that mean... does that mean that me and him are able to date each other?? I've read that the age gap can't be more than 4 years, so that part also confused me. Can someone help me please?? I don't want to get him in any trouble by dating someone underage... :confused::confused::confused::confused:

If you've achieved the Age of Consent, then if your boyfriend and you decide to have any type of sexual interaction he cannot be charged with Statutory Rape. However, I would check the law very carefully; there might be a provision that makes it illegal for the oldest person in the relationship to be more than 3 or 4 years the youngest persons senior.

However, I would be more concerned about the age difference from a predatory stand point. In other states the Age of Consent is 17 and I imagine 18 other states or even older in other countries. The reason for the Age of Consent amongst other things is to protect the younger person in the relationship who does not yet have the relationship experience or maturity from being exploited sexually or controlled by a far more experienced elder.

In general, a 16 year old girl will see this relationship much different than the older 21 year old. She may see the relationship as a romantic loving fairytale, and the 21 year old may see it as being able to control a younger girl and use her for sex (because of her romantic willingness) much easier than he would be able to convince someone his own age because someone his own age has the experience and maturity to sex through a potential deception.

So please be careful, there aren't many good reasons a 21 year old should be dating a 16 year old unless there is something wrong with him. Ask yourself, why is he not dating girls his own age?

You deserve to go through the rest of your teenage years maturing with boys closer to your own age. Do not be in a hurry to grow up, by dating a 21 year old, he will be exposing you to things that you should wait until you yourself become 21 to experience.

You only live once, enjoy your teenage years as a teen, and don't date adults.

The age of consent in Ga is 16 but if your parents object there will be other laws they can look at esp if they tell you not to date the man.

TexasParent gave an excellent response. But let me clarify something here. There are no laws that I know of that prevent dating at any age gap. All the laws refer to sexual relations.

Age of consent means that you can legally consent to engaging in sexual relations. What the 4 yr age gap means is that even though you may be over the age of consent, if the gap is large enough, he could still be charged with stautory rape.

But I totally agree with TP that a 21 yr old is at a different developmental stage than a 16 yr old. The likelhood is that the 21 yr old is a predator.

It's kind of unanimous here. Im 19 year old guy, and even though I'm not as mature as a large number of other people my age I can say this though. What is going through your mind I bet money that the complete opposite is going through his. The problem is not the age gap or the maturity levels. What it is is the almost different worlds you are in so to speak. What I mena by this is big important things to many 16 year olds i.e grades, puberty, growing up essentially, is not what any 21 year old probably thinks about aside from grades. Just be careful is what else I have to say and report anything that does not have your consent to the proper authorities. God bless.