I have a student in my class that came up to me this week and told me that she is pregnant. She confided in me that her mother said that she was going to make her have an abortion. She was so upset. Then the next day she said that her mother was going to press charges against her boyfriend and have him arrested for rape. The boy is 18 and the girl is 17. O.K. law enforcement people, can he be charged for this crime if she willingly had sex with him? She says the boy wants to go to college and wants to take care of her and the baby. Her mom has also kicked her out of the house. She is now staying with a friend. She has come me and some of the other teachers for advice. It is so hard with out stepping over the line to give her advice. Another teacher and I took her to the counselors office to help her with some of her issues. I feel so helpless. I know she shouldn't have done this but, I feel so sorry for her because she has no support from her mother. She said that her mother had become pregnant with her when she was 15 by an older man and her parents didn't press charges. She said that is why she doesn't understand why her mother is doing this to her. I told her that she has a lot to think about and a lot of decisions that she is going to have to make. It is going to be hard but, she will make it through this. It is so hard to know what to say. I hope her mother will come around and help her through this. You would think that her mother would be more understanding since she went thought this herself. I guess she is just very angry and does not know how to deal with it.
Tracy
Tracy, I am not a law-enforcement person but I check with a friend who is a Supreme Court Judge. What he said is that if the girl is over 16 years the boy can't be charged with statuatary rape.But the mother can bring charge of rape against the him, but she would not be getting any supportive testimony from her daughter whom she put out of the house.See ga. code section 17-10-6.2.
ReplyDeleteI hope this will be of help.
I am sorry to hear about the girl trouble and think the county public health office can help her with some of her issues related to her care and the baby. she can get peach care for herself and the baby. many of my students are pregnant at least 5 to 7 girls this year. it is a hard thing to see happen to the students and their lives. good luck stacy
ReplyDeleteHi, Hopefully her mother will get over her anger and hurt stage and come to her senses so she can be by her daughter.Of all people she should know how hard it was for her to be so young and pregnant. There many resources for your student, but she really needs her mother by her side more than ever.
ReplyDeletein georgia the age of consent is 16, you are an adult at 17 but cant move out wihtout your parents permission..also parents are not suppossed to boot you out unitl you turn 18....i dont see a whole lot the mom can do
ReplyDeleteThis situation must be a little uncomfortable. There are so many opinions and possible choices for a pregnant teen these days I would think there should be proper administration to help the girl. What if the girl is not telling the truth about her mother? I have heard a pregnant teen can have deep feelings of shame. It sounds as if she is shifting the focus away from herself. Tough call
ReplyDeleteGaryb