Sexual Predator - Definitions and Distinctions - Etymology and Usage

Etymology and Usage

FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover is attributed with the first known use of the term in the 1920s. It was popularized in the 1990s by Andrew Vachss and 48 Hours. The word is not found at all in newspapers of 1985 and 1986, but occurs 321 times in 1992, 865 times in 1994, and 924 times in 1995. Some U.S. states have a special status for criminals designated as sexually violent predators, which allows these offenders to be held in prison after their sentence is complete if they are considered to be a risk to the public. They can also be placed on a sex offender list which is viewable by everyone on the Internet.

The term is applied according to a person's moral beliefs, and does not necessarily denote criminal behavior. For example, a person who cruises a bar looking for consensual sex from someone else could be considered a sexual predator by some.

The BDSM community often uses "predator" as a term for someone that seeks out dominance and submission parties that are new to the lifestyle. These parties would use the submissive or dominant in a manner that suited their personal needs instead of encouraging them to grow and learn on their own about this culture. In this same circle, there are also predators that are simply hunters, they seek a certain type of personality, age group, fetish or play style. They often refer to themselves as predators and enjoy the game of Hunter/Prey.