Volume II. No. 62
 08-08-04
 The Strange World of 
 Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2004
 

 
 The bizarre mating ritual of the convicted child rapist Mary Kay Letourneau
 and her young victim is apparently going to continue. A Seattle judge has
 lifted a previous court order that had barred the recently released Mary Kay 
 and Vili Fualaau - now a 21 year old man - from seeing each other. The only 
 other real legal issue that remains is what is to become of the two children 
 that are the result of the sexual couplings of these two very strange individuals.

 This story is truly one for the ages. Not only is illicit sex involved. But this
 case tests our perceptions of race, gender, and parenting issues. The most
 obvious incongruity is in how this rape case has been handled by the courts
 from the very beginning in 1997 when Mary Kay received a suspended sentence
 and was required to enroll in a treatment program for sex offenders. At that 
 time, if the gender of victim and rapist were reversed. Not only would the 
 male perpetrator have received a harsher prison sentence than Mary's. 

 He would still be in jail today. In fact,  he would be buried under the jail. 
 Nothing is more repulsive to the sensibilities of a civlized people than the 
 sexual exploitation of a tender underaged girl by an experienced adult male.

 But our perception of the female Mary Kay remains different. She is softspoken, 
 teary-eyed and meek. A delicate creature who begs for our compassion and 
 our understanding. Even though we may never, for even a brief second, take 
 for granted the lacking morality of an educated, professional woman who 
 became sexually intimate with one of her students.

 Mary Kay Letourneau is every school boy's fantasy. And a mother's worst
 nightmare. A predator who succeeds not by means of strength and brawn, 
 but by the mere proximity to her victim. An alluring temptress of fine features, 
 golden hair, and a twisted sexuality hidden behind a smile.

 Her trap is sprung not by force. But by guile.

 And what of Vili Fualaau? Now that he wants to reconnect, as it were, with
 the woman who raped him. What can society make of him? Is he damaged
 in some way, that although undetectable now, will be all too apparent in the 
 years to come. Or can genuine love reside in his heart for Mary Kay? A love 
 that wll somehow soothe the hurt of a society that can never understand his
 attachment to this woman.

 So we watch and wait. And we may even pass judgement. But, maybe this 
 time goodness will indeed be born of evil acts.Their cocoon of misunderstood 
 love might prove sufficient enough to sustain them through the troubled 
 years ahead.
 

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