History Main / JailBait

In RealLife, it is a [[NoSexAllowed serious crime]] for a legal adult to have sex with a minor who is below the age of consent, usually 16-18 in North America and 14-16 in Europe, but in fiction is almost always 18, since that's the legal age in the [[WeAllLiveInAmerica US state]] of [[SoCalization California]], with the notable exceptions of ''LawAndOrder'' making it clear the age of consent in New York is 17, and Japan where the federal age of consent is 13,[[hottip:*:although almost all localities have local laws making it 16 or 18]] although that one does cause some ValuesDissonance when things get exported. The term for a person, or provocative pictures of them, who is under that age but looks either old enough or hot enough for onlookers to forget the difference is "Jail Bait." The "joke" about this was "15 will get you 20", only it isn't a joke--according to the law, a minor can't give proper consent to sex since a naive and hormonal teenager might not make the most sound decisions and an adult could exploit that, hence the term "statutory rape".

* British police drama ''TheBill'' had an interesting example. A drunken man picked up a very willing female partner in an adult nightclub and ended up bedding her. Some months later this girl's mother found out about it and reported them to the police since her daughter was under the age of consent (16 in the UK). The police established that the fourteen year old had deliberately used clothes and make up to make herself look older than she really had, and persuaded the male to confess, reasoning that he had been careless but that it wasn't really in the public interest to prosecute him so he would be given a slap on the wrist and let go. Then it transpired that the girl's birthday was incorrect due to adoption or some other reason, so she was actually thirteen. Except that a few months ago when the incident took place she was twelve, thus meritting a statutory rape charge. That the unwitting guy had just confessed to. Oops.

* [[{{Shotacon}} Male example]] in ''{{Haunted}}''. [[spoiler: Brandon Whittier is a thirteen-year-old boy suffering from progeria, which causes him to age at seven times the normal rate. He amasses a fortune by telling his nurses he's eighteen, begging them not to let him die a virgin, and then revealing his age and demanding money in exchange for not reporting them.]]

* In MiraiNikki, the two protagonists are both 14 years old. However, the story makes it ''reeeeeeeeeal'' easy to forget that fact. Besides almost being raped at one point, the female lead is constantly seen in a bra and panties (or less), chapter 52 [[spoiler:showcases the two of them having sex, complete with fully-exposed breasts.]] A case of ValuesDissonance though the age of consent in Japan is 13.

* In the movie ''Lifeguard'', the chief lifeguard warns his assistant that having sex with an underage girl — even if she's willing — is a crime. Then he goes ahead and has sex with one anyway after warning the trainee that it's a bad idea.

* [[NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water's]] titular character is a 14 year old girl. Yet spends the majority of her screentime in a [[{{Stripperific}} stripperiffic]] circus costume and is depicted as quite nubile, despite her age; which is often used for [[{{Fanservice}} fanservice.]] At one point, spending almost two full episodes nude.

* [[NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water's]] titular character is a 14 year old girl. Yet spends the majority of her screentime in a [[{{Stripperific}} stripperiffic]] circus costume and is depicted as quite nubile, despite her age; which often used for [[{{Fanservice}} fanservice.]] At one point, spending almost two full episodes nude.

* In the movie ''Lifeguard'', the chief lifeguard warns his assistant that having sex with an underage girl — even if she's willing — is a crime. Then he goes ahead and has sex with one anyway after warning the trainee that it's a bad idea.

There's also been some recognition over the years by some state legislators that it doesn't make much sense to send someone to prison for several years because they're a few years older than their partner, just because one is of age and the other one technically isn't (or both are under age, like a 16-year-old with a 15-year-old). Most places have set up what are called "Romeo and Juliet" laws, where if the age difference is within three or four years, it's generally not a crime or if it's still a crime it's been reduced to a low-level misdemeanor (maximum 6 months in the county jail and possibly a fine as opposed to years in state prison and registration as a sex offender).

There's also been some recognition over the years by some state legislators that it doesn't make much sense to send someone to prison for several years because they're a few years older than their partner, just because one is of age and the other one technically isn't (or both are under age, like a 16-year-old with a 15-year-old). Most places have set up what are called "Romeo and Juliet" laws, where if the age difference is within three or four years, it's generally not a crime or if it's still a crime it's been reduced to a low-level misdemeanor (maximum 6 months in jail and possibly a fine as opposed to years in jail and registration as a sex offender).

There's also been some recognition over the years by some state legislators that it doesn't make much sense to send someone to prison for several years because they're a few years older than their partner, just because one is of age and the other one technically isn't (or both are under age, like a 16-year-old with a 15-year-old). Most places have set up what are called "Romeo and Juliet" laws, where if the age difference is within three or four years, it's generally not a crime.

In RealLife, it is a [[NoSexAllowed serious crime]] for a legal adult to have sex with a minor who is below the age of consent, usually 16-18 in North America and 14-16 in Europe, but in fiction is almost always 18, since that's the legal age in the [[WeAllLiveInAmerica US state]] of [[SoCalization California]], with the notable exceptions of ''LawAndOrder'' making it clear the age of consent in New York is 17, and Japan where the age of consent is 13, although that one does cause some ValuesDissonance when things get exported. The term for a person, or provocative pictures of them, who is under that age but looks either old enough or hot enough for onlookers to forget the difference is "Jail Bait." The "joke" about this was "15 will get you 20", only it isn't a joke--according to the law, a minor can't give proper consent to sex since a naive and hormonal teenager might not make the most sound decisions and an adult could exploit that, hence the term "statutory rape".

* In MiraiNikki, the two protagonists are both 14 years old. However, the story makes it ''reeeeeeeeeal'' easy to forget that fact. Besides almost being raped at one point, the female lead is constantly seen in a bra and panties (or less), and a chapter near the end [[spoiler:showcases the two of them having sex, complete with fully-exposed breasts.]]
** A case of values dissonance though since the age of consent in Japan is 13
** The chapter is 52, just in case you're wondering (and you probably are).

* The chapter is 52, just in case you're wondering (and you probably are).

In RealLife, it is a [[NoSexAllowed serious crime]] for a legal adult to have sex with a minor who is below the age of consent, usually 16-18 in North America and 14-16 in Europe, but in fiction is almost always 18, since that's the legal age in the [[WeAllLiveInAmerica US state]] of [[SoCalization California]][[hottip:*:Notable exception: ''LawAndOrder'' makes it clear the age of consent in New York is 17.]]. The term for a person, or provocative pictures of them, who is under that age but looks either old enough or hot enough for onlookers to forget the difference is "Jail Bait." The "joke" about this was "15 will get you 20", only it isn't a joke--according to the law, a minor can't give proper consent to sex since a naive and hormonal teenager might not make the most sound decisions and an adult could exploit that, hence the term "statutory rape".

See also LegalJailBait and TheJailBaitWait. Contrast DawsonCasting.

Sometimes they're YoungerThanTheyLook. It may be [[DistractedByTheSexy difficult to realize]] this until it is too late, however.

* Max Damage of ''[[{{Irredeemable}} Incorruptible]]'' has a PerkyFemaleMinion named Jailbait. Upon his HeelFaceTurn, he breaks up with her, citing JailbaitWait.

* In the movie "Lifeguard", the chief lifeguard warns his assistant that having sex with an underage girl — even if she's willing — is a crime. Then he goes ahead and has sex with one anyway after warning the trainee that it's a bad idea.

** Although, interestingly enough, Rikku herself mentions that (mainly due to the influence of Sin shortening everyone's life spans) many girls her age in Spira are getting married... [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean and presumably everything that comes with that.]]

* Two teenagers in the United States made a video of themselves having sex, and e-mailed it to each other. Their state did have a "Romeo and Juliet" law, so even though they were underage, the sex was legal. However, since they were under 18, making the video was a felony of ''producing child pornography''. An appeals court upheld their conviction.
** Not just videos, but thanks to cell phones, jurisdictions all over the US are struggling to deal with sexting. Kids snap racy shots of themselves and face, potentially, charges of making and distributing child pornography (and if those pictures cross state lines, it becomes a felony). For BonusPoints it's legally possible to be a registered sex offender (for life) for taking and possessing pictures of ''yourself'' ...well, at least it's better than going to jail for receiving such pictures against your will.