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Another example of gender bias in adult-youth sex offense sentencing?

By Douglas A. Berman

I am noticing more and more sentencing cases involving sexual trysts older women and younger boys in which gender dynamics seem to have a major impact on sentencing outcomes.  Here is a local report on another such case from Colorado: If the roles were reversed, would the accused be treated the same? The question was repeatedly raised during a sentencing hearing Monday for a 31-year-old Grand Junction woman charged with several felonies for having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy. Theresa Millon, 31, ended up pregnant by the same boy and repeated on Monday her main defense to the charges: That she was sexually pursued ?for weeks? before giving in to the boy?s desires.  ?I?ve wondered if this was a male offender making the same argument ? that the girl kept coming on to me and I gave in ? how I would take that,? District Judge Richard Gurley said toward the end of Millon?s hearing...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on December 16, 2008 (boomark / email).