Quote:
Originally Posted by
N0help4u
West Va has always had one of the lowest ages of consent but this doesn't really make sense to me. ---... . if 16 can be with no one under 16 but can be with anyone over 16 what does the 4 years younger mean?
First, let's make clear which statute we are discussing:
"2012 West Virginia Code
...
§
61-8B-5. Sexual assault in the third degree.
(a) A person is guilty of sexual assault in the third degree when:
...
(2) The person, being sixteen years old or more, engages in sexual intercourse or sexual intrusion with another person who is less than sixteen years old and who is at least four years younger than the defendant and is not married to the defendant ...".
Then break it down by examples:
The accused turns 16 today (d/o/b is 7/6/97), and he has sex with a person who turns 12 tomorrow : guilty.
Same accused, but the victim had his/her 12th birthday yesterday, not guilty.
The accused is 18 (d/o/b is 7/6/95) and he has sex with: someone more than 4 years younger; in this example aged 14 or less (d/o/b on or after 7/7/99) - guilty.
Same accused, but victim had his/her 15th birthday also today, or before: not guilty.
The accused is 20 (d/o/b is 7/6/93) and she has sex with a person who, as in the obove two examples, is less than 4 years his junior, - guilty. Note, in this example the victim could be born as late as 7/7/97 for guilt to be established.
Finally, the accused is 21 (born 7/6/92), but if the other person is 16 or over, the difference in ages no longer matters. Not guilty..
OK, I realize all of that can be confusing. So let's forget about the subtle distinctions which come from looking at the exact age differences, and instead aproximate:
A person over 16 can get in trouble for having sex with someone four years or more younger than himself. Specifically,
- A person who is 16 years old is committing a crime if the other person is age 12 or less.
- A person who is 17 years old is committing a crime if the other person is age 13 or less.
- A person who is 18 years old is committing a crime if the other person is age 14 or less.
- A person who is 19 years old is committing a crime if the other person is age 15 or less.
- A person who is 20 years or older is committing a crime if the other person is less than age 16
.
In OP's situation, the person is over 20, but OP's son is over the age of 16, so the crime of the type normally referred to as "statutory rape" has not occurred.