NCJ Number
222948
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2008 Pages: 119-132
Date Published
March 2008
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined the links between adult offending and exploitative sexual experiences in childhood.
Abstract
A higher number of reports of childhood sexual abuse by those convicted of sexually molesting children and committing rape suggests that being victims of sexual molestation in childhood may influence developmental trajectories and offending pathways. A developmental trajectory that incorporates abuse, abusive behavior, and the blurring of sexual boundaries between adults and children as normal may increase the child's vulnerability for these patterns of behavior to continue throughout the life course. The high reporting of neglect by the rapists, their lower educational achievement, and their subsequent involvement in the unskilled labor force may indicate that they were less likely to have had their basic childhood needs met. A questionnaire was administered to 3 criminal groups: child molesters (n=44), rapists (n=23), and nonsexual offenders (n=58). The questionnaire was designed to explore the nature and extent of the men's sexual experiences when they were 12 years old or younger. Since the questionnaire has not been subjected to the usual validity and reliability analyses, the authors consider the findings to be exploratory. Statistical relationships between the men's early childhood sexual experience and their later types of offending were determined. 4 tables and 29 references