The dangers of assumption: “Female sex offenders: (Mis)representations and realities”

By: Cassidy Martenson

Staff Writer

*TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL ASSAULT*

On Friday, Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) hosted the public forum event “Female sex offenders:
(Mis)representations and realities.” The forum was led by Stacie Merken, Assistant Professor in the
Department of Criminal Justice, and examined the dangerous reality of female sex offenders (FSOs).

The forum explored the roots of inaccurate classification of female offenders. “The assumption that a
woman must be ‘crazy’ or ‘psychotic’ as well as ‘more masculine’ in order to commit violent offenses is
deeply rooted in how our society constructs the ‘feminine’ role,” explains Merken. These assumptions
dangerously ignore the realities of FSOs.

FSOs differ from male offenders in many ways, but trauma is a shared outcome of these sex offenses.
Female offenders are more likely to target strangers and assault with a co-offender(s). FSOs also tend to
believe that assault is more traumatic for male victims than females.

These differences provide the base for the three main typologies used to classify FSOs. While Merken
examines these typologies, she explains that they stem from the same theories that assumed female
offenders were either masculine or psychotic. “Male-coerced female with involvement in sex offending
against one’s own children,” “teacher-lover,” and “predisposed female offender” are the typologies that
attempt to put all FSOs into dangerous categories. By limiting the typologies that explain sexual assault
by women, the trauma and danger of FSOs is limited.

The social construction of FSOs has major consequences for society. Merken explains that there are low
prosecution rates when it comes to female sex offenses. However, research has shown that trauma is
more severe when the offender is female. Society also views female sex offenses as a joke in the media,
which has real world consequences.

Merken hopes that the forum not only informed attendees but inspired them to change the social
constructs surrounding FSOs. “I hope to move students away from the fallacies in relation to ‘hot
teacher’ or ‘sexy mom’ media stories, movies, and books that portray FSOs in a one-dimension fashion,”
says Merken. Female offenders should be taken seriously due to their crimes.

Merken teaches a variety of courses at IU South Bend and strives to incorporate active learning in the
classroom. Merken says, “I am a Criminologist, Victimologist, and Generalist, which means I specialize in
a wide range of areas and love researching so many topics.” She hopes that all her students graduate
ready to apply everything they have learned to real world situations and occupations. 

This is the first forum that Merken has hosted, but WGS has hosted a variety of forums throughout the
semester. Christina Gerken, Director of Women’s and Gender Studies and Interim Chair of the
Department of Criminal Justice, says “This is a great opportunity for everyone to learn about the exciting
work that their professors are doing!”
The next forum will be “Unheard Cries: An Examination of Black Women’s Experience with Police
Misconduct in the City of Chicago.” This event will be hosted by Chloe Robinson, Assistant Professor of
Criminal Justice, on April 2 at noon. Students, faculty, and staff can join via Zoom through
https://iu.zoom.us/j/84031995319.