Statutory Rape

Texas law requires that any adult who thinks that a child or teen has been abused or neglected must tell the appropriate authorities. Sexual abuse of someone under the age of 17 years of age is defined as the offenses of indecency with a child, sexual assault, statutory rape, and/or aggravated assault.

The definition of indecency with a child is very important to teens under the age of 17 because they are still thought of as children under this law. Any teen that has sexual contact with another person, even with someone her own age, could be considered abused and that abuse would have to be reported. Any teen under 17 that has sexual contact in a relationship where she is agreeing to the sexual contact (this includes touching to arouse either person) can be considered to be in a sexually abusive relationship because of her age. This relationship would have to be reported to authorities and investigated. If law enforcement finds no reason to prosecute the incident as abuse, the matter is usually dropped.

Examples of cases where there have been known prosecutions are: where the minor is younger than 14 years of age; the sexual partner is three years and a day older than the minor; the sexual contact occurred under force or threat of physical or emotional harm; or the sexual partner is a convicted sex offender.

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