The
common usage of the term 'sexual
predator' is normally to refer to an individual who
preys upon people, often those they (or society)
percieve to be vulnerable, with intent to
perpetrate a
sex crime/act of sexual
misconduct. The
emphasis is on the fact that there has been a
victim who has been
taken advantage of/
preyed upon in a sexual manner by the person who has been called a 'sexual predator'. Whether the
prey is victim to a criminal offense is not the matter at hand, it's the role of the
predatory party in an act of sexual
exploitation against another individual that defines him/her as a 'sexual predator'.
Often used in tabloids for the purposes of sensationalism it is not a constructive or helpful term and oversimplifies the plights and problems of those centered in such stories. It's lack of value commonly leads it to being used in jest.