NCJ Number
156456
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 19 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1995) Pages: 963-973
Date Published
1995
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study determines characteristics of child sexual abuse victims according to perpetrator gender, and evaluates the effect of perpetrator gender on the victims.
Abstract
Characteristics of child sexual abuse victims were determined through a comparison of 87 victims of lone female perpetrators to 93 victims of lone male perpetrators according to age, gender, and relationship of perpetrator to the victim. Lone female perpetrators abused children younger than lone male perpetrators. Both lone female and lone male perpetrators abused more girls than boys. Female perpetrators were more likely to be caretakers than male perpetrators, whereas male perpetrators were more likely to be strangers. Lastly, lone female perpetrators, lone male perpetrators, and male/female coperpetrators did not differ regarding severity of abuse. Thus, contrary to popular assumption, abuse by female perpetrators was not less severe than abuse by male perpetrators. Tables, references