I believe that not only is there no real distinction between men who prey on girls and women who prey on boys, but the lessons of this and other cases also apply to dysfunctional adult relationships. There is not much of a distinction between adults who sexually prey on children and adults in sexually dysfunctional relationships. The dynamics between a 28 year old woman and immature twentysomething (or older) men is the same as that between a female child molester and her teenage victim. Only the illegality is different. Same goes with the genders reversed.
The same sex drive that teenage boys have, men in their 20's and 30's have, and some of us (I'm 25) are no more capable of dealing with sex than teenage boys are. Women are only slightly less likely to be victims of the wrong man than girls are. The only difference is that many acts of predation between adults are labeled as dysfunctional relationships, not predation.

My question is, Is there THAT much difference between a 15-year old boy and a 25-year woman having sex and a 25-year old man and woman doing it if many, if not most relationships are exploitive? Some observations from the recent teacher-student scandals can be extended to man-woman (not man-girl or woman-boy) sexual relationships. Women and men who entangle others in dysfunctional relationships (whether sexual manipulation, domestic violence, etc...) are predators, just not child sex predators.
I've been reading about the cases of female teachers/male students in the news lately, and also going through the breakup of a relationship with my ex-"girlfriend." She was 39, I was 24, and some of the same dynamics (me being in sexual thrall, her manipulating me for money, with companionship) were present.
Power and experience differences can and will be exploited in relationships regardless of where they come from. Age and rank are not the only ways this can happen. Lets say a 30 year old man and a 25 year old women are getting it on, and one or the other has ulterior motives. Lets say that the 30 year old man is a virgin, but the 25 year old woman has had sex for 10 years. It doesn't take a genius to see how the younger women could expolit the older man.
I'm beginning to believe that most women are sexual predators(just like most men), but by keeping their prey grown men or women (over 18), they are keeping their actions legal. It's more obvious when the woman is a teacher and the male is a boy, but when I see men and women together, I see many men and women being manipulated, whether for money, sex, or status, by the opposite sex partner.
In fact, I believe that most men in relationships are manipulated by most women most of the time, and the same goes for women, and that the sexual relationships between female teachers and male students are simply the extreme end of a continuum which can be applied to relationships between adults as well. If Debra Lafave or Mary Kay Letourneau is a "10" on a 0 to 10 manipulation scale, then your average woman is a 4 or 5.
If you made the male 24 instead of 14 in this as well as the Debra Lafave and Lisa Lynette Clark cases, a case can still be made that they (the males) were manipulated to them.
Granted, 24 year old men are adults, but our sex drives are not that much less than a 14 year old's, and the same things which got the 14 year old into a sexual relationship with LaFave get men over 18 into relationships with women who are not good for them. This has happened to me twice in the last two years, and I'm going to be 26 in three months. Sex, status, and other factors which fuel student-teacher relationships also fuel dysfunctional and manipulative man-woman relationships, with the outcome being no better for the man that it was for the boys.
Since this is a provocative thesis, I would love to get anyone's opinion on it.

Those of you who say that there is no difference between a older woman taking advantage of a 13 year old boy and man taking advantage of a 13 year old girl are so wrapped around the axle of "political correctness" that you cant be trusted to make any decisions that are in the best interest of the parties involved or for the purposes of establishing legal precident. For the record I do not advocate this type of behavior or condone it. However, I can safely say that this young man/boy was not the victim he has been made out to be. As a matter of fact, his excitement at having a relationship with a beautiful older woman probably came to the attention of his parents and ultimately the authorities through his inability to keep his mouth shut about it. I can personally say for the record that I can only wish that I had been as lucky as this young lad when I was his age. It is completely different if the genders were reversed. Typically young people in their early teens pursue relationships with people their own age. However, this is mostly due to the fact that the pursuit of older more mature partners is not really an option. Think of it this way, every young man is taught upon raching sexual maturity and especially the age of 18 that younger women(pre 17 YOA) are taboo and against the law. Young women (pre 17 YOA) are also taught that having a sexual realtionship with a man 18 YOA or older is against the law and could result in his going to jail. However, society doesnt emphasize this standard for young men (pre 17 YOA). As a matter of fact the emphasis is quite the opposite. A young mans status is elevated by the number and certainly the maturity level of his conquests. Now I dont think that our dear Pamela should be allowed to teach school anymore but, I dont believe that she should be sent to jail for 7 years either. Why she would rather have a relationship with a 13 or 14 year old young man than someone more her age I will never know. I am not debating the leagal issues on this matter either. They are crystal clear. It just seems to me that this type of crime is more of a victimless crime so to speak. If there is any damage psychologically or otherwise to the young man; it is more likely the result of the fiasco and uproar created by all the "adults" who claim to be the "champions of his Honor." The media attention and the fact that someone he obviously cared about is going to jail again because of his big mouth is probably the biggest source of his guilt

why a gorgeous girl like her had spent her time with a 14years young student?
She probably had had serious problems with some old or same age guys in the past and wanted to try something different with this boy. I mean, to see whether in this case she could be happy or not.
That is a pity. She went to jail because she wanted to be with a guy. Is that wrong? We do so many crazy things when we fall in love. No matter your age.
The question is: What if this guy wanted to be with her when he gets 18 years old. Can she be release if he claims in the court for her freedom?

this is digusting,
the boy have to go in prison instead of Pamela.
he didn't say no for having sex, then he's guilty too.

i don't understand why teacher have to wear this responsability.
Kids are always inocent ? wtf they aren't and they'll never be.

Ibur said very interesting thing.

Actually one of teacher who had sex with 13 year old boy and had a baby with him. and she was released from jail after serving many years and they got married.
But that is very rare case. I don;t think the boy will be still interested after he become 18 year old.

Well, well, well...now I see why you condone Rape of children in this country and others. Because...people like yourselves find it acceptable that an adult has sex with a child.
Whether a minor child derives sexual gratification from an adult (rapist/predator, scum) whatever you term it, it is WRONG. The child, based on our common sense laws, does not possess the ability to give consent.

To find people that embrace child abuse is sad...unfortunately, it does not surprise me. The evidence is everywhere: The mindset stated here is evidence that you people are warped and little better than accessories after the fact or rape!!!!!!!