Child Molestation In Jo Knowles Lessons From A Dead Girl

Sexual abuse happens all over the world, in every community, and at all levels of society. Anyone can be a victim or predator no matter their age, race, or even religion. “Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse that includes sexual activity with a minor. A child cannot consent to any form of sexual activity, period. When a perpetrator engages with a child this way, they are committing a crime that can have lasting effects on the victim for years” (“Child Sexual Abuse”). Child molestation is a serious crime that can affect the victim behaviorally and emotionally, as well as the relationships in their lives. In Jo Knowles haunting novel, Lessons From a Dead Girl, the victim of sexual abuse is a girl named Laine and her abuser is a girl …show more content…
“People often picture child sex offenders as unclean men with a long beard and a black trench coat. This, however, is typically not the case” (“Inside the Mind”). The image of the common sex offender is very misconstrued. Many times they are not rough and gritty men, but more so clean cut gentlemen. Many people tend to think that a child molester is a strange man that swoops up a child out of nowhere but, the truth is that most offenders know their victims before they assault them. Offenders range from a garbage man to a government official. There is no prejudice for a predator. “Every offender is highly individualized. Many factors and thinking styles are RELATED to offenses, but every case is different. There is no underlying factor that CAUSES someone to become an offender” (“Inside the Mind”). A risk factor is defined as “A condition, behavior, or other factor that increases risk” by Dictionary.com. Risk factors, or push factors, are what may push one to commit such a gruesome crime as rape. There are two main push factors for a molester, the first is developmental. The conditions a person grows up in helps to shape that person, and sadly some people are not as lucky as others. Adults who were abused as children are often more susceptible to continue the pattern with their own victim/victims. This is the developmental risk factor. The second factor is the current situation surrounding one's personal life. If someone watches pornagraphy on a regular basis, is a victim to substance abuse, is stressed out, has self-esteem issues, or is impulsive, they will be more likely to become a predator than someone with a seemingly healthy life. The important thing to understand is that just because a person is an alcoholic or stressed does not mean that they are automatically a sex offender. Although to the victim, this is