A 71-year-old woman has married a 17-year-old toyboy just three weeks after meeting him at her son’s funeral.When grieving pensioner Almeda Errell went to pay her last respects at her son’s funeral, the last thing she expected to find was love. Relationships with significant age differences have long sparked debate, but when one party is a minor and the other an adult, the conversation shifts from personal preference to issues of safety, legality, and power. Large age-gap relationships involving minors are widely regarded as problematic due to concerns about consent, exploitation, and long-term well-being.
Most countries have established age of consent laws meant to protect minors from being coerced or manipulated into sexual or romantic relationships. Neuroscience shows that adolescents’ decision-making abilities and understanding of long-term consequences are still developing. Legally, this means minors cannot fully consent in relationships with adults.
