DANGEROUS LIAISONS

There's a pattern to the behavior of teachers who seduce male students. Parents, be aware!

By Melba Newsome | Time Magazine | April 2, 2006

Excerpts from this article quoting Gilbert Kliman, MD

A gangly, immature adolescent boy holds little appeal for the vast majority of women. But such qualities are precisely what these women find irresistible, says Dr. Gilbert Kliman, medical director of the Children's Psychological Health Center Inc. in San Francisco. Kliman has consulted on several cases involving female teachers and counselors who sexually assaulted young boys. "The fact that these boys were all at the dawn of their sexuality and were inexperienced seemed to heighten the interest of these women," he says. "They found the instructional quality of the relationship very appealing."

"Society is very concerned about protecting the virginity of girls but not so much with boys," explains Kliman. "There has been a tradition in many societies of women initiating boys into a sexual relationship or where boys are sent off to have sex with a prostitute, and that's sometimes regarded as being helpful to shy and sexually unassertive boys."

But experts are quick to point out that boys are also victims, and they may suffer long-term consequences from their abuse. "Crossing the boundary from trusted teacher to romantic partner is likely to cause a long-standing distrust of authority figures," says Kliman. "It sets up a link between strong gratification and strong corruption. The boy will probably be confused by what other moral boundaries he should expect to be broken."