What is the charge for an 18-year-old who has consensual sex with a 15-year-old?

• A. Statutory rape
• B. Lewd and lascivious act
• C. Sexual assault
• D. Contributing to a minor

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how age and consent affect crimes involving sexual activity with a minor. When an adult has sexual contact with someone who is under the age of consent, the law often treats that as a crime regardless of the minor’s agreement or apparent willingness. A common charge used in many jurisdictions is lewd and lascivious acts with a child. This category targets sexual conduct with a minor that is exploitative and intended to arouse or satisfy sexual desires, and it typically applies when the minor is well below the age of adulthood—often under 16. In this scenario, the 18-year-old’s sexual activity with a 15-year-old falls squarely into that protection-focused category, hence it fits this charge.

Other options rely on different elements. Statutory rape centers on the age difference and the inability of a minor to legally consent, which can overlap with this situation but the specific charge commonly used for clearly exploitative conduct with a younger minor emphasizes the lewd and lascivious nature. Sexual assault generally involves non-consensual contact, which isn’t the focus here since the scenario describes consensual activity. Contributing to a minor involves encouraging or facilitating illegal activity by the minor rather than the direct sexual act itself.

So, the act is best described as lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, reflecting how the law protects younger individuals from exploitative sexual conduct by an adult.