The Media Market

Female teachers accused of sex crimes is the new media hype. But is it truely a new societal phenomenon? As sociologists debate over whether this phenomenon is a new thing or if it has always been there (and the only reason we now find out is because the media searchlight has found interest in this field) journalists are fighting stereotypes when they report: The female perpetrators are young, attractive and seem to have fully functional social skills. This is far from the way male sex offenders are being treated. And so the reportings also tend to lean towards "understanding" these women, instead of ostracizing them, as is often the case with their fellow male offenders.

It started out with Seattle-teacher Mary-Kay Letourneau, and now - this week alone, two cases have hit the news in the U.S. and another one in Sweden.

Cops say one Texas teacher, Kathy Denise White had sex with a 17-year-old, and
Tennessee teacher Pamela Rogers Turner had sex with a 13-year-old boy. They join
at least three other recent cases: Florida teacher Debra LaFave, 24, is expected
to plead insanity to charges she had sex with a 14-year-old student, according
to her lawyer; California teacher Sarah Bench-Salorio, 28, allegedly molested
two boys when they were 12 and 14; and 33-year-old California teacher Rebecca
Boicelli was arrested last month on statutory rape and related charges after DNA
tests confirmed that a former student fathered her 2-year-old baby when he was
16.