According to the Daily York Record, there appears to be a rise in female teachers abusing young male students .
Increasingly, female teachers are being accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. In the past 18 months, in fact, at least 26 court cases involved female teachers accused of molesting students, said Robert J. Shoop, a professor at Kansas State University and author of "Sexual Exploitation in Schools: How to Spot It and Stop It."
Erica Rutters, a married Dover resident who taught at the Oxford Christian Academy in Adams County, was charged last month with corruption of minors stemming from her alleged sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student.
Young boys are easy to sexually stimulate, Shoop said. They usually say they enjoyed the relationship. The issue is whether they are emotionally and psychologically ready.
Jason Klinedinst, the alleged victim in the local case, and his mother, Vicki Klinedinst consented to an interview and the use of his name. He said he had sex with Rutters. He said he was a willing participant in the relationship.
Shoop is skeptical when a young boy characterizes his relationship with a teacher. A child is not mature enough for that kind of relationship. It gives them experiences way beyond their maturity level. Speaking generally about such cases, Shoop said that many times, the teacher has shown a lack of maturity.
"It's a relationship with a teacher," Shoop said. "It's a failure on the part of the adult who does not understand her moral, legal and ethical duties."
There is the assumption that because males are just that - males - they are immune to the stress and shame encountered when having experienced the exploitation of an abuser. Females are no different in their roles as abuser.
Women typically focus on one child and embark on a falling-in-love relationship, Shoop said.
It's called grooming. Many child molesters, particularly women, groom their victims over months, cultivating their friendship and trust, Shoop said.
Boys are less prone to think a teacher's attentions and sexual advances are wrong because of societal messages, according to a Dec. 1 article in District Administration, a magazine for K-12 education leaders.
They think it's cool, and go along with it even if they are confused, according to the article. As they mature, the boy victims of sexual abuse by teachers separate their emotions from the act and have trouble with intimacy.
Christina Mauhar, director of the Victim Assistance Center in York County, said most sexual abuse cases have to do with power.
"Generally, the female perpetrator is not looking to harm the kid," Mauhar said. "They view him as a beautiful object they want to love. It all comes down to power and control."
Women tend to be looking for something that's missing from their lives, Mauhar said. They typically suffer from low self-esteem, fear of rejection, and lack of social skills. There is a huge difference between men and women child molesters, she said.
If a woman does not feel she has power in her life, she may seek a relationship with someone more vulnerable than herself to gain the feeling of having power, Mauhar said.
Sexual abuse is under-reported in our society and even more so with boys. Society's double standard views sexual assaults on girls as reprehensible and shows less understanding about boy victims, she said. We hush talk about sexual assaults on boys.
"Our silence protects the wrong people," Mauhar said. "Our silence protects the perpetrator."
Female perpetrators rely more on verbal coercion. They don't give the boy a chance to consent, Mauhar said.
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