Debra Lafave

This fits under "Musings about other topics as my mood permits."

I sent this letter to the Editor in the Tampa Tribune

Watch The Wording

Published: Jun 22, 2005

Regarding ``Lafave Offered Plea Deal In Sexual Battery Case'' (Metro, June 17):
In the June 5 edition of Parade Magazine, Andrew Vachss discussed the language we use when talking about the sexual abuse of children and how some language actually seems to condone such acts.

This issue slapped me in the face when I read the article on Debra Lafave. Thomas Krause reported that Lafave had an ``alleged affair with her 14- year-old student.''

Adults don't have affairs with children. Affairs are consensual sexual relationships between two adults.

Vachss reiterates this by stating that ``when we say that teachers `have affairs' with their pupils instead of saying that the teachers sexually exploit them, the only beneficiaries are the predators who target children.''

So, rather than having an affair, Lafave instead was allegedly engaged in the ongoing sexual assault and exploitation of a child.

I suggest the Tribune reporters read the Vachss article and re-evaluate the language they use when writing about sexual abuse of children.

Note: On the same topic - child pornography should be called "images of child sexual abuse. "