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Boinking Teenagers

In Utah, the social trend is for people to marry quite young. How young? Worried your lover might not be legal? Fret not, my friend, because you may still be able to find a legal lover. The following is quoted from Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4 ("Sexual Offenses") of the Utah State Code:

76-5-401. Unlawful sexual intercourse.

1. A person commits unlawful sexual intercourse if, under circumstances not amounting to a violation of section 76-5-402 [rape], section 76-5-402.1 [rape of a child], or section 76-5-405 [aggravated sexual assault], that person has sexual intercourse with a person, not that person's spouse, who is under sixteen years of age.
2. Unlawful sexual intercourse is a felony of the third degree except when at the time of intercourse the actor is no more than three years older than the victim, in which case it is a class B misdemeanor. Evidence that the actor was not more than three years older than the victim at the time of the intercourse shall be raised by the defendant.

(as last amended by Chapter 88, Laws of Utah 1983)

Fornication

However, there is still be the problem of being charged guilty of "fornication", as defined in Title 76, Chapter 7, Part 1 ("Marital Violations") of the Utah State Code:

76-7-104. Fornication.

1. Any unmarried person who shall voluntarily engage in sexual intercourse with another is guilty of fornication.
2. Fornication is a class B misdemeanor.

(as enacted by Chapter 196, Laws of Utah 1973)

So, once again we have "Big Daddy" and "Big Mommy" government protecting us from ourselves. If a sexual act takes place between two consenting adults, where is the crime? Who is harmed? For more information about the absurdity of victimless crimes, read Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do, by Peter McWilliams, available from Laissez Faire Books