Reading, PA asked in Criminal Law and Federal Crimes for Pennsylvania

Q: Is it against the law to talk to a thirteen year old girl but helping her through depression of harming her self.

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
Ryan L Hyde
Ryan L Hyde
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Exton , PA
  • Licensed in Pennsylvania

A: In the most direct form the answer to your question is no. However, the real answer is it depends. Depends on your age, depends on the content of the message, depends on who is making the decision on legality, and it depends on how she views the message. If the messages could be construed as you forming a relationship with her it could be viewed as grooming. Grooming is a type of behavior that sexual predators use to prepare victims for violation. If you are a person over the age of 18 and not a licensed therapist you are putting yourself in a very precarious situation. Your instincts and intent may be pure but again, those things are in the eye of the beholder. A relationship with a child is always something you have to be very careful with. If this is an online relationship it is even more precarious. I would proceed with the utmost caution. If she is truly at risk there are many many many organizations that exist to assist her, I would also suggest if you are not a trained professional you may be doing more help than good inadvertently.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.