A
sexual predator is a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically "predatory" or abusive manner. Analogous to how a
predator hunts down its prey, so the sexual predator is thought to "hunt" for his or her sex partners. People who commit sex crimes, such as
rape or
child sexual abuse, are commonly referred to as sexual predators, particularly in
tabloid media or as a
power phrase by politicians.