ST. PETER — The sexual abuse started early for Rhonda Bailey, her father constantly visiting her bedroom when she was as young as 5. She gave birth to her first child at age 14, unsure whether the father was her dad or another relative, court documents say.

As an adult, Bailey became the abuser and raped two pre-teen boys. That crime and her sexual attraction to kids got her committed more than 20 years ago. Since 2008, she’s been the only woman in Minnesota’s sex offender treatment program. The state is now struggling to find another location for Bailey, who experts acknowledge is at high risk for future sexual misconduct.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have laws that allow for sexually dangerous people to be committed civilly. An Associated Press survey of those programs found that Bailey is one of only nine committed female sex offenders, and the only one living in an all-male unit, which experts called shocking.

Deborah McCulloch, one of four court-appointed experts evaluating Minnesota’s program, testified in July about Bailey’s housing and treatment: “I believe rather than making her better, her issues have been prolonged.”

Until recently, Bailey’s treatment included group sessions with men, during which they described their assaults on others. “I had flashbacks,” she said in an exclusive interview with the AP. “When the day was over with, when it was time to go to bed, I would have a flashback — seeing when my dad was sexually abusing me.”

The Minnesota Sex Offender Program, which houses nearly 700 of the state’s most dangerous sex offenders, is facing a legal challenge. Residents claim it’s unconstitutional because it effectively amounts to a life sentence with inadequate treatment. Bailey’s attorneys say she’s an example of a resident who doesn’t belong there.

Experts say Bailey has a deviant arousal to children and violence — a reaction to childhood trauma. They also say she needs specialized treatment for her offenses and psychological issues.

Jannine Hebert, executive clinical director of MSOP, said in an affidavit that officials have tailored treatment to Bailey. But Bailey told the AP, “I’d rather be around women instead of the guys.”

The 49-year-old’s life story is laid out in court documents and a massive treatment file. She was born in Iowa into what court documents described as a “profoundly abusive and chaotic” family. Her father hit her with a belt, a board with nails, and his fists, and sexually abused her “constantly,” she says.