Female Sex Abuse

Melissa Huckaby, suspect of the murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu

When small children go missing, television news channels inundate the airwaves with their stories. Most people are glued to these stories with hope that the child will appear unharmed and healthy both physically and psychologically but that is usually not the case. Any form of violence or abuse towards children is unspeakable. The murder of a child is especially senseless and shocking. When children, especially young girls, go missing we typically have our own theory. We tend to automatically suspect male sexual predators. Some of us can even visualize that predator. We picture a lower class, middle-aged, unattractive, and unkempt male.

The body of eight-year-old Sandra Cantu was found in a suitcase at the bottom of any irrigation pond, earlier this month. More shocking is the gender of the suspect. Melissa Huckaby, 28-year-old Sunday school teacher and mother of one, is being charged with kidnapping and murdering Sandra Cantu. She is not our image of a child predator. Charges against Huckaby could also include rape with foreign object, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child.

The crime seems much more ghastly because it was committed by a female. People are less wary of females as murders or predators. In society women play the role of the nurturer. We are inclined to trust women, especially with children. According to the Justice Department, approximately 1 in 10 murders are committed by females. Women are more likely to murder intimate partners and family members.

Notorious examples include the Andrea Yates and Casey Anthony cases. Yates murdered all five of her children. Anthony murdered her 4-year-old daughter.

A female’s motivation for murder is often different from a male’s motivation. When women commit murder it usually reflects mental illness or involves self-defense. Women usually know their victims and use less violence for the murder.

What is most shocking about the Sandra Cantu murder case is that she was sexually abused by a female. According to ScienceDaily, women who sexually abuse children are likely to have mental issues or drug addictions. Most commonly when women are labeled child molesters it is because they allowed the sexual abuse of a child by a male.

Because female sex offenders are rare could serve to further obscure the idea that a woman could sexually abuse a child.Most parents do not want to give up the idea that there are still people they can trust. If a child were to claim abuse by a female, would the parents be more likely to assume the claim is a fabrication because it is rare. Huckaby was not only a Sunday teacher but a mother of a young girl, as well.

Because of the lack of studies done on the female sex offender, these deviants are that more difficult to identify. What are the characteristics of these women? Were the abused themselves?

According to Times Online, Melissa Huckaby suffered from depression for years and also attempted suicide in the past.

This new case may hopefully prompt research on the subject of the female sex predator and do away with the idea that child molestation committed by a female is not possible because it is not in society’s definition of femininity.

-Diane Sanchez

April 24, 2009. Uncategorized.