New York doesn’t have a single Romeo and Juliet law. The intent is to avoid punishing consensual teen relationships as harshly as adult molestation of children. Romeo and Juliet laws are provisions meant to provide defenses or reduced penalties for statutory rape in cases where the participants are close in age. Do they put young people at risk? Or strike the right balance between fairness and protection? What Are Romeo and Juliet Laws? New York, NY – When an 18-year-old high school senior dates a 15-year-old sophomore, should this be considered criminal? Situations like this have led many states, including New York, to pass so-called “Romeo and Juliet” laws providing defenses against statutory rape charges for consensual sex between teens close in age.īut some argue New York’s laws go too far in decriminalizing teen sex. Romeo and Juliet Laws in New York: Do They Go Too Far in Protecting Teen Sex?