Is it illegal for a 34 year old man to date a 16 year old girl? As her parent what rights do I have to stop it? Can the 34 year old male get into trouble if he has sex with the 16 year old even if it is consensiual?

In Kansas, the age you can no longer be a victim of statutory rape is 16.

As a parent, you have the authority to go to the police department and file a complaint; however, in this situation, given the age of the minor, there may be no criminal violation for the police to investigate based on the sexual relationship alone. It would be up to police to make that determination.

If your city police have a squad or unit that deals with sexual predators, it may be good to speak to someone within that unit to alert them to this activity. It may also be in your best interests to seek advice of an attorney. Even though the 34 year old may not be violating the statutory rape law in Kansas, there may be other violations occurring. A parent has legal protective authority over their minor children until they turn 18 or until a court says otherwise.

If your local authorities hands are tied, there may be something that can be done on a civil law basis. A local attorney would be able to assist you in making that determination.

revised-04/25/2008