When we think of a sexual predator, it is likely that our first inclination is to picture a man. These odds are perpetrated by crime dramas that unfold on movie and television screen but also by the reality that an overwhelming percentage of individuals charged with sexual assault are males. However, women also are guilty of this horrific crime and the impact of their actions is just as deep and long-lasting.
This week in my home state of California, educator 
Andrea Michelle Cardosa was charged with sixteen counts of child sex abuse. If convicted of the most serious charges, she could spend the rest of her life behind bars.
The charges came to light following the posting of a YouTube video by one of the alleged victims, Jamie Carillo. In the video, Carillo is having a phone conversation and the voice on the other end is said to be Cardosa. As they talk, acts of abuse are admitted. Carillo, who is now twenty-eight, states that the abuse started when she was only twelve years old and then continued for several years.
A second alleged victim has now come forward and is filing charges against her former school district for its negligence in not protecting students from a possible abuser within its school walls.
It is amazing that we live in a time when accusations of awful violations of trust and sexual abuse first are delivered via the internet. In other startling instances, the tables have turned and we have seen perpetrators of violent crimes take to sites like YouTube and Facebook to brag about their crimes. Just more examples on how powerful our online connectivity has become.
I hope that the two young women who have come forward with their allegations are able to find some peace in the courage they showed in sharing their stories. If Ms. Cardosa is guilty of the charges she is facing, I hope her sentence is such that she never can harm another child.
Do you think that the criminal justice system is more lenient on female offenders?
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Previous Blog Posts:
The “Affluenza” Defense
Examining the Digits: Uncovering Tough Clues in Crime Investigations
What Would You Write in Your Crime Scene Investigator’s Notebook?
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