Letourneau vs. Jackson: Double Standard? 

Letourneau vs. Jackson: Double Standard?

There seems to be a double standard when it comes to child molestation cases: if the alleged perpetrator is a woman -- specifically a white woman -- the public outrage seems significantly less than if the accused is a man. Take the case of Mary Kay Letourneau, for example. Letourneau was a 34 year-old (white) teacher having "relations" with one of her 13 year-old students, Vili Fualaau. When the case was made public, there were men -- even men on the police force -- who said "where was she when I was in school?" and even referred to Fualaau as being "lucky". When Michael Jackson and (director) Roman Polanski were charged with allegations of child molestation, however, American society at-large became enraged. Polanski, who pled guilty but fled to Europe (from California) before he could be sentenced for "engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse" with a 13 year-old girl back in 1977, has never been able to recover his reputation or business here in America.