Mar 26, 2007
Star-News (SC) examines why teacher molestation charges are hard to prosecute.
"The biggest difficulty you have in prosecuting any sexual assault case, especially with children, is that they do not tell right away, and by the time they disclose there is no physical evidence," said Debbie Lash, assistant prosecutor for the 9th Circuit, which includes Berkeley and Charleston counties.Stephen Braveman studies child abuse. He estimates that just half all incidents of sexual abuse are reported. Among male victims, he said, the reporting rate is likely about 10 percent.
In the seven active South Carolina cases, seven of the 12 alleged victims are boys ranging in age from 11 to 15.
TT- the case they highlighted is a 46-year-old female 2nd grade teacher , Kimberly Moody Alexander, who was charged with performing a lewd act on a child. A Columbia police officer found the former Bradley Elementary School teacher and a 14-year-old boy lying down in the front seat of her car. The two were fully clothed and were kissing, the boy simulating sex. The jury deadlocked at her trial and prosecutors plan to try her again.
Alexander is married with two children.
The Post and Courier on "Awareness of female offenders increasing" reports experts caution that sexual misconduct by women has long been under-reported in our society, which has had trouble accepting the notion of women as molesters. They list South Carolina cases.
A state representative is pushing legislation that would institute a 25-year minimum sentence for sex crimes committed by school personnel.
