When Women Prey: Why Female Offenders Like Emily Nutley Are Treated More Leniently Than Men

Emily Nutley, a 43-year-old married mother of three and longtime school counselor, admitted to sexually abusing a 17-year-old male student in her office—but instead of public outrage or a harsh sentence, her defense was that her husband neglected her.

This case highlights a disturbing trend: when women commit sexual crimes, the consequences are often lighter, the language softer, and the blame redirected.

If the genders were reversed, this would be a national scandal with calls for maximum punishment. Instead, Nutley faces up to just 10 years in prison, with no guarantees she'll serve even that. Why does the justice system continue to go easy on female predators?