ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the motivations for a relationship with a registered sex offender: the motivations for starting a relationship with someone who has committed a sex offense prior to dating or marriage, and the motivations for staying in a relationship or marriage with someone who commits an offense during the partnership. It also explores the hesitations that women experience in starting such a relationship and the changes women experience when an offense occurs within the context of a relationship. This chapter examines the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the offense, whether their partners kept the offense hidden or was voluntarily forthcoming with offense-related information and explores the women’s reactions to learning about the offense.
