I’m 21 & my boyfriend’s 16 – trolls say our relationship is wrong but it’s perfectly legal and we’re in love
A 21-YEAR-OLD woman has been slammed for dating a 16-year-old boy, with many people branding their relationship ‘wrong’ and questioning it’s legality.
Influencer Tasha Newcombe has been dating Marko Vituk, who is five years younger than her and of GCSE age for a few months.
The party rep, from Kent, says she has “done social media for six years”, and was initially scared to pursue things with Maidstone born Marco, due to the online backlash she knew that she would receive.
However, she decided to move things forward with the amateur boxer regardless, and says that the pair are very happy together.
Taking to TikTok to defend her relationship, Tasha @tashanewcombe, said: “If I decide I want to be in a relationship with him I can because it’s legal.
“And although my relationship is very new, I have to say this boy is genuinely the most mature, kindest, most loving person I’ve ever been in a relationship with.”
In the UK the legal age of consent is 16, meaning that anyone over the age of 16 is allowed to have sex.
She added that the couple are in a “very loving, beautiful, healthy relationship”.
Tasha then criticised haters who have called her names for being in a relationship with Marko, and said that these people are “sick and twisted.”
The influencer also appeared on The BlueTick Show YouTube channel, alongside Marco, where she again defended her relationship.
She said that she doesn’t really think about his age, as she isn’t “obsessed” with it like everyone else is.
“I’ve never met someone so respectful in my life”, she said.
Tasha said that she has never dated a younger man before, and never would have thought she would be in this position.
She added that she does have worried about Marko becoming a party boy when he is finally old enough to drink.
Tasha said that she has had to delete a lot of comments on her TikTok account, which has 273,000 followers as the backlash is affecting her mental health.
Is it legal to date a 16-year-old?
What is the law around dating a 16-year-old?
According to The Mix, which provides essential support for under 25s, anyone over the age of 16 can have sex with another person over the age of 16, in the UK.
What is the age of consent in the UK?
‘Consent’ means to say yes. So, the ‘age of consent’ is when the law says you’re able to make the decision to say ‘yes’ to sex. In the UK, the age of consent is 16, and this is also the legal age for gay sex.
Can someone over 18 sleep with someone under 18? Can an 18 year old date a 16 year old?
The age of consent is 16 in the UK. Once you turn 16 you can legally have sex with anyone else who is also over the age of consent, but sexting with anyone under 18 is illegal.
One commenter said: “Did you go to his GCSE results day?”
Another said: “You’re not right in the head.”
A third person said: “Did you sign his leavers shirt?”
A fourth said: “This is actually insane!”
A fifth added: “Gross.”
A sixth said: “Is this even legal?”
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