Legal Definitions - take away

The legal term "take away" is a historical concept that referred to the act of unlawfully persuading or enticing a female under the age of 18 to leave her family home.

This act was considered a crime if the underlying purpose was for her to enter into a marriage, engage in prostitution, or participate in other illicit sexual activities. It reflects a past legal framework designed to protect minor females from exploitation and interference with parental authority.

• Example 1: Persuasion for Marriage

  Imagine a scenario in the late 19th century where a 25-year-old man convinces a 17-year-old girl to secretly leave her parents' farm and travel with him to a distant town to get married, knowing her parents would never consent to the union due to her age and his lack of prospects. Even if the girl went willingly, the man's act of persuading her to abandon her family for marriage could have been legally considered "taking her away."

  This illustrates the term because the man persuaded a female under 18 to leave her family for the purpose of marriage, against the wishes and protection of her parents.

• Example 2: Enticement for Illicit Relationship

  Consider a situation where an individual, through manipulation and false promises, convinces a 16-year-old girl living with her guardians to run away from home and live with them in a different city, with the clear intention of engaging in a sexual relationship that would be illegal due to her age and the lack of parental consent. The act of convincing her to abandon her home and guardians for this purpose would fall under the historical definition of "take away."

  Here, the individual enticed a female under 18 to leave her family for the purpose of illicit sex, highlighting the protective nature of the law regarding minors.

• Example 3: Inducement for Prostitution

  In a historical context, if a pimp or madam were to entice a 17-year-old girl, who was still living under her parents' care, to leave her home and move to another town with promises of a better life, but with the actual intent of forcing or coercing her into prostitution, this act would be described as "taking her away."

  This example demonstrates the term as a person enticed a female under 18 to leave her family for the explicit purpose of prostitution, which was a grave offense against the minor and her family.