Sorry for the format problems but I cut and pasted from a PDF which had pictures.
From a California pamphlet for parents of kids turning 18:
It is against the law in California for minors to have sex or for anyone to
have sex with a minor. This is true in spite of national survey data suggesting
that nearly 50 percent of high school students have had sexual intercourse. The
only exception to this law is if a minor is married to his or her sexual partner.
Laws that make it unlawful to have sex with minors are called statutory rape
laws. These laws make it legally impossible for a minor (someone under 18) to consent
to sexual intercourse. The act is considered rape even if the minors are in love
and freely enter into the sexual relationship.
In California, statutory rape is called unlawful sexual intercourse. It is legally
defined as an act of sexual intercourse with any minor who is not the spouse of the
perpetrator. (PC § 261.5(a)) The law is intended to protect boys and girls alike. A
person who engages in unlawful sexual intercourse and who is not more than three
years older than the minor is guilty of a misdemeanor. If the person is more than
three years older, however, he or she may be found guilty of a felony/misdemeanor
punishable by imprisonment in county jail or state prison. And a person
over 21 who engages in sex with someone younger than 16 can be sent to state
prison for two to four years. (PC § 261.5(d))
In addition, a separate California law prohibits lewd or lascivious acts (child
molestation) with a minor. Sexual intercourse is not an element of this crime, and consent
is not an issue. Anyone who commits such a crime with a child under 14 could
face up to eight years in state prison. And if the sexual abuse of a child under age 14
occurs three times or more over a three-month period or longer, the abuser could face
up to 16 years in prison. (PC § 288.5) Engaging in lewd or lascivious acts with a minor
who is 14 or 15 can lead to a year in jail or three years in prison if the abuser is at least
10 years older than the victim. (PC § 288(c)(1))
Children are also forcibly raped. Forcible rape involves the use of force, fear,
coercion or trickery to acquire sex. In most cases, forcible rape is a crime of
violence. When a child is the victim, the rape usually occurs in one of three ways:
The child is preyed upon by strangers; he or she is victimized by an acquaintance
or date (“date rape”); or he or she is taken advantage of by a relative or a spouse
(incest, child abuse or spousal rape). For committing such a crime, a rapist could
face 15 years to life in prison. (PC § 269)
And this is from another pamphlet for kids who are 18:
You may not realize the consequences. You may see it as love. But having
sex with anyone under age 18 — even if it is with your consenting 17-
year-old girlfriend — is against the law. It would only be legal if the two of
you were married. Otherwise, at age 18, you could be charged with statutory
rape. And depending on the circumstances, you could be in serious trouble.
Or maybe you were the victim of a date rape. Or you think your sister
was groped inappropriately. Or your best friend is pregnant and hiding it
from her family. As a young adult, you could face a variety of difficult
situations involving sex and the law.
What is sexual assault and battery?
It is any type of sexual activity to which you did not consent — and it is
illegal. Assaulting or aiding in the assault of another with the intent to commit
rape, sodomy or oral copulation is felony sexual assault. (PC §§ 220-222)
Touching another person intimately without consent for sexual gratification,
arousal or sexual abuse could be sexual battery, and may lead to jail or
prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. (And, as a convicted sexual batterer,
you may have to register as a sex offender for life. ) (PC §§ 242, 243.4, 290)
Data suggests that women in their late teens and early 20s are more
likely to be raped than women in other age groups. One scenario is date
rape, also called acquaintance rape, in which an encounter turns into nonconsensual
sex. Keep in mind that friendship, dating or even marital
status does not convey an invitation to sexual intercourse. Date or no
date, it is rape if one of you says “no.” (PC §§ 261(a)(2), 261.6, 263)
What are “date rape” drugs?
They are drugs that may be slipped into an unsuspecting
victim’s drink to render him or her physically helpless —
and pave the way for a sexual assault. The victim
may have little or no reason to suspect that
anything is amiss. Such drugs are often
colorless and tasteless. And they may
leave the victim unable to recall
what took place. (See adjacent
prevention tips.)
Three such drugs — also
called “club drugs” —
include:
• GHB (gamma
hydroxybutyric acid)
• Rohypnol
(flunitrazepam)
• Ketamine (ketamine
hydrochloride)
What could
happen if I’m
charged with
statutory rape?
It depends, in
part, on the age difference
between you
and the minor. If there
is less than three years’
age difference, you could
be found guilty of a misdemeanor.
This could mean up
to a year in jail. If the age difference
is greater, however, you
could face a felony charge and
land in prison. For example, if you
are over 21 and you have sex with
someone younger than 16, you could be
sentenced to prison for two to four years.
(PC §§ 261.5 (a), 261.5 (c), 261.5 (d))
In general, there are no excuses or defenses for unlawful
sexual intercourse in California. However, the charges might be
reduced or dismissed (or result in an acquittal) if it appears that the minor
pretended to be 18 or was doing something that could lead someone to
believe that he or she was “of age.” This might occur, for example, if the
minor was drinking in a bar or enrolled in college.
A separate California law prohibits lewd or lascivious acts (child
molestation) with a child under 14. It need not involve sexual intercourse,
and consent is not an issue. Such conduct could lead to eight
years in prison. If the minor is 14 or 15, and you are 10 years older, a
conviction for lewd or lascivious acts could land you in prison for up to
three years. (PC §§ 288(a), 288(c) (1))
If my girlfriend becomes pregnant, am I legally required to support
the baby?
In general, yes. It does not matter whether or not you and the
baby’s mother are married. You are both responsible for such
support until your child turns 18. If one of you fails to
provide required support and health insurance, the
other parent can take the case to court. Also, if the
county winds up caring for the child, a judge could
order you to pay the county’s attorney fees and
court costs if the county takes the case to court.
(FC §§ 3900, 3901, 4000, 4002 (c), 4006; PC § 270)
A judge can also order that your wages —
or a portion of them — be deducted from
your work paycheck and used for child
support payments. (FC § 5208; CC § 706.030)
What is the baby drop-off law?
It is a recent law aimed at deterring
mothers — often young and desperate —
from abandoning their unwanted newborns
in dumpsters, cardboard boxes or other
unsafe locations. A newborn’s parent (or other
individual with legal custody) can now voluntarily
surrender the infant to any “safe-surrender
site” and not risk prosecution for child abuse or
abandonment. The infant must be 72 hours old or
younger. Hospitals and fire stations are designated as
“safe-surrender sites” and are responsible for taking custody
of the newborns. (PC § 271.5; H&SC § 1255.7)
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WDF?: "He keeps reaming me... night after night... I'm rather sore."
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llenta: "cantrip, you fail!!!"
Filliam H. Muffman: "i'm on top of dick"