Until recently, little was known about female sex offenders in the United States; today, the literature is nascent but growing. The primary reason for the lack of knowledge about female sex offenders is that their offenses go largely unreported. Increasing awareness regarding this population stems from highly publicized cases in which young female teachers have engaged in sexual relations with students. These cases do not represent the majority and may perpetuate myths about a subject in which researchers still have much to learn.

Female-perpetrated sex crimes are relatively rare, though this phenomenon may be skewed. Sex offenses are among the most underreported of all crimes, and female-perpetrated sex crimes may be reported less often than those committed by males. Nevertheless, official criminal justice statistics suggest that ...