Meet The Men
Who are Sexual Abusers?
Local news outlets report on ghastly assaults committed by sex-crazed strangers. Politicians tout their laws preventing (known) sex offenders from living near schools or day daycare centers so they won’t be tempted by their “uncontrollable urges.” Pundits call them deranged, depraved, incurable. And so the public believes that sexual abusers are not “like us.” They are “other.”
But survivors (over 25% of all women and 10% of all men) tell us their abusers are their fathers, uncles, husbands, doctors, boyfriends, bosses, co-workers, coaches, neighbors. And only very occasionally, strangers. In almost all instances (roughly 97%) their abusers were men, and almost always (90% of the time) they are men they know. Are ALL of them deranged psychopaths?
Why do they do what they do?
The motivations for sexual assault are not the stuff of easy headlines. Each offender has his (or her) own back story and life circumstances. The only way to truly understand why they do what they do is to get to know them. Reckoning will take you into the lives, backstories, motivations and progress of eleven men…
Warren
Convicted: Felony - Sexual Battery of a child under 12 by a Person in Familial Authority.
What he did: Sexually abused his seven-year-old daughter.
What he says: “I was only doing what she wanted.”
Sandeep
Convicted: Misdemeanor - Indecent Exposure
What he did: Exposed his genitals to unknown women.
What he says: “I was just letting off steam. I didn’t think it would affect anybody.”
Steve
Convicted: Felony – Lewd and Lascivious Conduct with Victim under 12
What he did: Molested multiple children
What he says: “They’re little kids. They don’t know what’s happening.”
Luis
Convicted: Felony – Lewd and Lascivious Conduct with Victim under 12
What he did: Groped his cousins’ genitals
What he says: “I made it seem like a game…”
Kevin
Convicted: Misdemeanor – Sexual Misconduct
What he did: Rubbed his genitals against women in crowded public buses.
What he says: “It was the Devil that led me astray.”
Jason
Convicted: Felony – Sexual Battery on Victim over 12 but under 18
What he did: Preyed on underage virgins in his high school
What he says: “One girl or another. It didn’t matter. As long as they were virgins.”
Sam
Convicted: Felony – Sexual Battery
What he did: Raped a stranger in her home.
What he says: “I was lonely and horny and no one was around. I figured I’d go out and get what I wanted.”
Lester
Convicted: Felony – Lewd and Lascivious Conduct with Victim over 12 but under 16
What he did: Had sex with a 14-year-old.
What he says: “Hey, someone wants to get it on with me, who am I to say no?”
Zach
Convicted: Misdemeanor – Sending Materials Harmful to a Minor
What he did: Exchanged nude photos with a minor.
What he says: “She said she was 20! Her photo showed she was 20!”
Greg
Convicted: Felony – Sexual Battery
What he did: Had sex with a half-conscious drunk woman at a party.
What he says: “We were both drunk. She was all over me!”
Daniel
Convicted: Felony – Possession of Child Pornography
What he did: Collected child pornography
What he says: “I was just collecting art photos. I didn’t do anything to anybody.”