If you are under 16 years old, the law says you cannot agree to someone taking you away or keeping you somewhere against your will. This applies to the rules about abduction and kidnapping in sections 208 and 209 of the Crimes Act. Even if you say it’s okay, the law doesn’t recognise your permission in these situations because you’re considered too young to make that decision.
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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329779.
209: Kidnapping, or
“Taking or keeping someone against their will or by tricking them, to ask for money, lock them up, or send them overseas is against the law.”
210: Abduction of young person under 16, or
“Taking or keeping a child under 16 away from their parent or caregiver without permission is against the law.”
For the purposes of sections 208 and 209, a person under the age of 16 years cannot consent to being taken away or detained.
