Rebecca was the one who was the vulnerable child. Give me a break!
Yes she was. But, I do think that SH was a vulnerable child at 14 when she met NH.
I'm not making excuses for her, but a child who has been in care and moved from foster home to foster home, and has failed to remain within the education system is very damaged. A child put into care, then seeing their own mother go onto have more children and keep them is going to be affected by all sorts of feelings of rejection. And when that 14 year old is taken out drinking at the age of 14 by an older sister, is introduced to men, and allowed to have a sexual relationship with a 21 year old man in her own mothers home, then I think she was highly at risk and highly vulnerable.
That said, we are all responsible for our own actions, but SH didn't have the care, guidance, support, education or stable upbringing that every child deserves.
I've worked with children with similar backgrounds to SH, and from as young as 12, some of these children present as very chilling, potentially dangerous and do have that 'survival' instinct that means they lose all sympathy/understanding of those around them, and will hurt others to make themselves feel better.