Dear US folksies

[innocent_lex]

I'm watching Everwood and am somewhere in S2. Ephram (16) has started dating his sister's babysitter (20). which seems to involve kissing and no sex. Andy (dad) has gone absolutely ballistic about the whole thing, claiming it's a felony. I understand that a felony is breaking a law (a big law?). What I don't understand is what law could possibly be broken here. Can some awfully lovely USA person please explain?

Thanks muchly.

Comments

[rynogeny.livejournal.com]

I don't know if that's a great deal of difference from you.

Doesn't sound like it, though here you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes (and 21 to buy alcohol, which no, doesn't make much sense.)

I'd say, though, that the age for having legal sex for everyone is 18. It's just not generally prosecuted if they're younger (and as I noted, people assume most teens are having sex with other teens) unless the partner is older or in a position of authority.