Some of the cases that are challenging to defend involve minors who call the chat lines to meet adult singles or to find a date. We know for a fact that chat lines and phone dating sites are created exclusively for adults 18 years old and above. Chat lines for adult entertainment which is not intended for minors. This restriction can be found in their specific websites and is reiterated in their phone system.
It is something that you cannot possibly miss once you call their hotline number. Given this strict policy and guideline, why do some minors still proceed to use the chat lines? What draws them to chat with adults and agree to meet up?
Let’s explore these very common scenarios to discover why these things happen despite constant reminders and restrictions.
Why Minors Call the Chat Lines
Teenage girls feel that they would find the maturity they are looking for in older men. And since chat line dating offers the most convenient way to instantly get connected with single men, they play with the idea until such time that they actually dial the number. The fact that it’s intended for callers of legal age is something that they can carelessly ignore.
Teenage boys like to feed their curiosity especially when it comes to sex and women. They feel that older women are more experienced, open-minded and adventurous when it comes to sexual matters. Thus, they dial the chat lines in the hope that they can fill in their curious minds with things that they want to know. After all, nobody would find out about the call, their real name and age, and perhaps their lack of experience.
Minors, especially teenagers, can be impulsive and extremely gullible. They have this tendency to believe what they hear, and some of them are quite easily impressed by the person they are phone chatting with. There is no denying the fact that boys and girls in their teens, no matter how exposed they are, still have that tinge of innocence. It is still relatively easy to penetrate their minds and convince them to do things that mature adults won’t agree to do.
Common Story behind Every Case
What may seem like fun and exciting, in the beginning, can potentially end up in a disastrous situation. Most cases that I have handled involving teens dating adults whom they met in the chat lines have two common denominators;
- Teenagers faked their age and pretended to be someone of legal age. This leaves the other party clueless about the situation.
- Adults are aware of the real age of the person they are dealing with but chose to take advantage of the situation and to pursue it because it is 100% consensual anyway.
Defending the Case
Soliciting a minor (a person below 18 years of age) for sexual activities is usually done by way of using the internet, technology, or cell phone with the intent to lure and seduce the minor to engage in unlawful sex. In Florida, this is considered a Second Degree Felony and is punishable by up to 15 years of prison time, 15 years of a probationary period, and a fine of $10,000. If the defendant has been found to use different techniques to call and solicit a minor, each one may be subject to a separate criminal case.
The severity of the punishment is something that is known to all. It’s not something new. Soliciting a minor is a serious offense. And after all, a minor is considered a minor, a child, or someone who lacks that certain level of maturity to come up with rational decisions. An adult should, therefore, know better than to get involved with a minor; and should likewise acknowledge the existence of laws that protect the innocence of minors at all costs.
Engaging in sexual activities with a minor is a crime not just within Florida but in most countries as well. Even if there is deception about the age and even if it is consensual, the adult can still face felony charges for dating a minor. The severity of the punishment can be more severe with larger age gaps.
Therefore, the best advice I can give to anyone who is actively using chat lines or phone dating sites is to be extra careful and to protect yourself at all times. Don’t agree to meet up if there’s a hint of uncertainty. And lastly, be responsible enough to know the consequences of your every action. Not everything that is fun is totally harmless; so learn how to weigh the situation very well before jumping in.