CHILD MOLESTATION - A COMPARISON OF HONG KONG AND WESTERN FINDINGS

• NCJ Number: 59853
• Journal: Medicine, Science and the Law Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 55-60
• Author(s): S K LAW
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wright and Sons, Ltd
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

FINDINGS OF AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH CHILD MOLESTATION IN HONG KONG ARE COMPARED WITH FINDINGS OF WESTERN STUDIES OF CHILD MOLESTATION.

Abstract

THE RECORDS OF ALL DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH SEXUAL OFFENCES AND REFERRED TO THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT PSYCHIATRIC CENTER WERE REVIEWED FOR THE YEARS 1968-1977. MOST OF THE CASE RECORDS CONTAINED DETAILED CLINICAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY A QUALIFIED PSYCHIATRIST, THE RESULTS OF RAVEN'S STANDARD PROGRESSIVE MATRICES, AS WELL AS A DETAILED POLICE SUMMARY OF THE OFFENCE. CASES OF INDIVIDUALSS CHARGED WITH INDECENT ASSAULT AND INCEST INVOLVING A VICTIM OR VICTIMS 15 YEARS OF AGE OR UNDER (BOTH SEXES) WERE REVIEWED AND CODED FOR VARIOUS OFFENDER, VICTIM, AND OFFENCE CHARACTERISTICS. PERSONS CHARGED WITH RAPE AND ATTEMPTED RAPE WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY. A TOTAL OF 141 HETEROSEXUAL OFFENDERS AND 14 HOMOSEXUAL OFFENDERS WERE REFERRED FOR PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT IN THE 10-YEAR STUDY PERIOD, INVOLVING A TOTAL OF 165 FEMALE VICTIMS AND 18 MALE VICTIMS. NOTABLE SIMILARITIES EMERGE WHEN THE FINDINGS ARE COMPARED WITH WESTERN FINDINGS. THE PROFILE OF CHILD MOLESTERS SUGGESTS NO PARTICULAR AGE, WHICH IS ALSO THE CONCLUSION OF HENN AND HIS COWORKERS IN AN AMERICAN STUDY (1976). OFFENDERS HAVE DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL LEVELS, WHICH IS ALSO THE FINDING OF MOHR AND HIS COLLEAGUES (1964). A SCRUTINY OF FAMILY AND MARITAL DATA REVEALS THE SALIENT IMPORTANCE OF LONG-TERM SEXUAL FRUSTRATION, AS WELL AS LACK OF SOCIAL CONTACTS, IN KEEPING WITH VIRKKUNEN'S FINNISH STUDY (1976). THE MEAN AGES OF VICTIMS ARE ALSO SIMILAR TO WESTERN STUDIES, AS IS THE MOST COMMON OFFENCE--FONDLING. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WESTERN STUDIES AND THE HONG KONG STUDY ALSO EMERGED. WITH REGARD TO THE OFFENDER-VICTIM RELATIONSHIP, 56 PERCENT OF INCIDENTS OCCURED BETWEEN STRANGERS OR CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES, IN CONTRAST TO 26 PERCENT IN THE MOHR STUDIES. THE HONG KONG STUDY ALSO CONTAINS MANY INCIDENTS OF INTERCRURAL AND SIMULATED VAGINAL INTERCOURSE, WITH MANY INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE WHERE THE PUBLIC HAD EASY ACCESS. PROFILES OF CHILD MOLESTERS BY AGE GROUP ARE PRESENTED. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.