NCJ Number
141747
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (March 1993) Pages: 432-436
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Research has indicated a relationship between perpetration of child sexual abuse and the offenders' own victimization as a child. This study compares the childhood sexual victimization of pedophilic child molesters (PCM) (those who offended against children 12 years old or younger) and hebephilic child molesters (HCM) (those who offended against children between the ages of 13 and 16).
Abstract
The subjects were 184 males were who assessed at the sexual behaviors clinic of a psychiatric teaching hospital. All participants were at least 16 years old, at least 5 years older than their victims, and admitted to forced sexual activity with extrafamilial children under 16 years old. The Bradford Sexual History Inventory was administered to the participants. The results showed that over 40 percent of both the PCM and HCM groups had been sexually abused as children. Previous findings showing that homosexual abusers more often report childhood sexual abuse than do heterosexual abusers was replicated only in the HCM group. A significant difference between the PCM and HCM groups was the age at which they reportedly were sexually victimized. The social learning theory in the development of child molesting behavior was supported by the finding that the PCM subjects were molested during their prepubertal period, while the HCM group reported they were abused in their early puberty. 25 references