Jail Bait

Dear Eda,

I am twenty one years old and I am totally in love with a girl who is not quite seventeen. We have secretly been seeing each other for a few months now but we haven’t been “together” yet. My friends keep telling me she is jail bait and I should leave her alone but I think they are just jealous. We have plans for our future, I’m going into the military and I want her to come with me. How do I get my friends off my back and how do we tell her parents so they’ll understand?

John, OH

Dear John,

To start on a positive note, good for you for joining the military. Now, for a swift kick in your bum; don’t ruin your career before you even get started my friend. Run! Don’t walk, away from this girl! Your friends have every reason to be worried for you. And they are not jealous, their smart.

In most states, this is a serious crime. You could be prosecuted and although you may not go to prison, I will guarantee you they will do whatever they have to in order to get you labeled as a sex offender. At least you have not had sex with her but that doesn’t mean you won’t still be charged with a crime.

Think her parents will understand? If all this time she has been too afraid to tell them about you don’t you think there is a reason for that? Obviously they would be furious if they found out about you. Further, what do you do if by chance you do something to make this girl really angry and she tells her parents to spite you? Or she doesn’t get her way with her parents and she tells them about you to get a rise out of them or defy them? Either way you’re screwed and left holding the smoking gun featured as the latest pervert on the ten o’clock news.

They say that age shouldn’t matter, and it shouldn’t; but only if you are both consenting adults over the age of 18. So, you either break this girl’s heart now, or ruin your life forever. It’s really not a difficult choice.

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