turning 18 but girlfriend is 15

[llatinoo]

Me and my girlfriend have been together for 1 year and we really love each other to death but there's 1 problem im turning 18 soon and the age of consent is 18 but my girlfriend is 15 and I don't want to break up with her but then again I don't want to be arrested and labled a sex offender. What can I do, what are my options please help

[Eternal]

My best advice is to not have sex and instead spend more time going out on adventures and activities, at least until she is 16. In my opinion 15 is a little young to be having sexual relations anyway. You're both young and while you have time, you should go out and have experiences. Go on dates to museums, go on a picnic at the beach, take a pottery class, etc. I dated a boy when I was 15 and my regret about it is that we just stayed inside and watched movies whenever we hung out. I wish that instead we had gone out and done fun things together. It will let you and your girlfriend get to know each other even better too!
Going back to your question though, I suggest playing this safe because if her parents find out and aren't aware you two are sexually active, they could get you into trouble. It's better to just wait, there's other sexual acts you two can do besides intercourse if you want that intimacy factor.

[JessiAttal]

Try not to have sex.. Spend more time together and go on adventures and do some activies she's too young..

[Age of Ignorance]

Statutory rape (or sexual assault) only occurs if you do anything remotely sexual with her. It does not apply to romantic relationships.

Does your family know about your relationship? What about her family? Do they all accept it, and have there ever been any issues? Does your school know? Does anyone at school take issue with your relationship? Are you at the same school or separate school? In practice, even if you were to have sexual contact, the authorities would need to be notified before any investigation and/or charges were laid down. So, if everyone is okay with your relationship, then you have nothing to worry about. That is not to say that things can't go wrong, and you should think this through thoroughly, and take legal advice from a legal service (generally, most communities have free consultations/advice sessions - you may wish to search for that yourself).

Additionally, from my understanding, because the age of consent is 18 in your jurisdiction, no matter what, if you were to have any sexual contact with her before she turns 18, it would be considered sexual assault (since you fall outside the 2-year rule). You should discuss this heavily with your parents and your girlfriend before making any decisions going forward. Your parents can provide valuable insight, and a great support network, and your girlfriend is obviously the other person effected by this, and should be consulted every step of the way.

Of course, I can't make the decision for you, but I understand the situation you're in. When I was 19, my girlfriend was 15. The statutory age of consent in my jurisdiction is 16, so I waited. It can be tough, but if it's meant to be, it doesn't need to cause a separation.