NCJ Number
95685
Journal
Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Dated: (1984) Pages: 76-81
Date Published
1984
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article addresses the nature and characteristics of sexual abusers of children and discusses treatment strategies and objectives based on these characteristics.
Abstract
Sexual offenses against children are categorized: no physical contact between the offender and the child, physical contact without penetration, oral genital contact, penetration, and physical contact by force. Data from the 65 cases treated so far indicate that less than one-third involve penetration, and when intercourse occurs, it is usually in cases of incest. The incest offender and the nonrelative offender have basically different personality types; one is passive and the other aggressive. In incest, the offender breaks a major social taboo. Incestuous fathers view their relationships with their daughters as 'love affairs,' and substitute the daughter for the wife as their major source of affection. Nonrelative offenders generally do not develop lasting or meaningful relationships with their child victims, nor are they 'in love' with the child. As a group, the program's offender-clients were sexually uninformed, accepting of sexual mythology, and conservative in their views of abortion, masturbation, and premarital and extramarital relationships. Most offenders were socially inadequate, lonely, religious, and had dependency problems. The program assisted these offenders in recognizing their problems, in verbalizing and defining their problems, and in exploring why the problem occurred. Fourteen references are listed.