"It's never the kid's fault," said New York psychologist Judith Alpert. (7)
According to journalist David Kupilian, the sexual urges experienced by teachers may be "rooted in trauma, generated from their emotional reactions to the cruelty, confusion, and seduction they've experienced along the path of life." Kupilian makes reference to a particularly famous student-teacher sex scandal involving Mary Kay Letourneau and her 11-year-old student, Vili Fualaau, making the argument that Letourneau's attraction to the child is a direct consequence of her failed marriage, a recent miscarriage she had dealt with, as well as a sex-scandal involving her father, a U.S. Congressman. Kupilian's argument, that Letourneau sought to find a connection with someone "relatively innocent and non-threatening" in order to feel empowered.
Another famous case involved Debra Lafave, a 23-year old middle school teacher, who was named "America's Most Notorious School Teacher" after being convicted of having sexual relations with her 14-year old student. In an interview titled "Crossing the Line", Lafave speaks out, ultimately attributing her "bad choices" to her bi-polar disorder and personal history with rape, suggesting her own personal quest for power.
This notion of a power differential is one that holds importance, not only for the motives of the abuser, but also on the dynamic of the relationship.
