Boys brag about sex with older women - Young males who are sexually groomed might target teachers, says psychologist

Renowned psychologist Dr Leahcim Semaj believes that boys who are sexually groomed by older women may see their teachers as potential sexual partners.

"When this has happened, you now start to see every older female as potential sexual partners because you have crossed a line, and it is almost impossible to go back," Semaj told THE STAR.

Semaj's comments come after a 48-year-old woman appeared in court after being charged with having sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old boy.

"Having sexual attraction for a female teacher is almost a part of the course for school boys, but children who are so exposed literally expect every other female to be of that nature and it could extend to your teachers, and it could get you into a lot of trouble," Semaj said.

Semaj said that boys who are sexually groomed by adult female can be treated, and he appealed to persons who may know cases of this nature to report them.

Sexual grooming

However, the police said that reports of sexual grooming involving young boys are rare.

"As far as my memory serves me, this is the only one that we would have dealt with for the last five year," legal officer of the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), Pauline Pink, told THE STAR.

"We are not saying that this is not happening, but we are not getting the reports and we can only act on reports," she added.

According to Semaj, one of the reasons cases of boys being sexual groomed by adult females goes underreported is because it viewed as a 'bragging rights' in Jamaica.

"It is more common than we would want to admit because it is also seen as some kind of bragging rights. It is more reported in the US," Semaj said.

In the case before the court, a 48-year-old woman was granted bail in the sum of $200,000 last Friday. It is alleged that the 13-year-old boy went over the accused woman's house where she allegedly hugged him and asked him if he wanted to pay her for sex.

The report said the boy then left, went and got the money, and the accused had sex with him.

Later in the night, someone spotted the child leaving the woman's house and brought it to the attention of his mother who was told what had happened. The matter was reported, and the woman was arrested and charged by CISOCA.