Nick Olivas got the shock of his life two years ago when he was hit with a child support demand from the state of Arizona—for a child he fathered when he was 14 years old. In that state, a child under the age of 15 can't consent to sex, making Olivas, now 24, a statutory rape victim of the woman who gave birth to his daughter. Olivas believes that the woman—who was 20 at the time of their sexual encounter—took advantage of him and that he shouldn't be held responsible for his actions because he was a child, reports the Arizona Republic. He didn't press charges, because he says he didn't know that was an option at the time. (Nor did he know about the baby.)
Olivas says he owes about $15,000 in back child support, plus money for his daughter's birth expenses and 10% interest, according to the Raw Story; the state has already taken cash out of his bank account and garnishes $380 a month from his wages as a medical assistant. An official for the Arizona Department of Economic Security says its main priority is assuring support for the child, even in a case like this—unless the parent suing for support has actually been convicted of sexual assault with a minor. As for Olivas, though he doesn't think he should owe the back support, he says he's willing to pay going forward and wants to be in his daughter's life. (More Arizona stories.)
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