NCJ Number
45154
Date Published
1978
Length
22 pages
Annotation
MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT CHILD MOLESTORS, PATTERNS OF PEDOPHILIC BEHAVIOR, AND MOTIVATIONAL INTENT IN CHILD MOLESTATION ARE DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCES TO CLINICAL CASES.
Abstract
STATISTICS FROM ONE TREATMENT PROGRAM DISPUTE STEREOTYPES OF THE CHILD MOLESTOR AS AN OLD MAN, A STRANGER, A DRUNK, POSSIBLY RETARDED OR PSYCHOTIC, AND LIKELY A HOMOSEXUAL. ADULTS WHO BECOME SEXUALLY INVOLVED WITH CHILDREN OR ADOLESCENTS CAN BE CLASSIFIED ON THE BASIS OF WHETHER THEIR INVOLVEMENT CONSTITUTES A PERSISTENT PATTERN (FIXATION) OR A NEW ACTIVITY OR CHANGE (REGRESSION) IN SEXUAL ORIENTATION. OFFENDERS MAY ALSO BE CATEGORIZED ACCORDING TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AIMS UNDERLYING THEIR BEHAVIOR. TWO BASIC CATEGORIES -- PRESSURED SEX CONTACTS AND FORCED SEX CONTACTS -- REFER TO THE NATURE OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE OFFENDER AND THE VICTIM, WHICH IN TURN REVEALS THE OFFENDER'S MOTIVATIONAL INTENT AND THE FACTORS PROMPTING HIS SELECTION OF A CHILD FOR SEXUAL CONTACT. CLINICAL CASES ILLUSTRATIVE OF EACH CATEGORY ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED, AS ARE CLINICAL CASES OF INCEST. THE BASIC CONCLUSION DRAWN IS THAT CHILD OFFENDERS ARE NOT ALL ALIKE. THEY DO NOT ALL DO THE SAME THING, NOR DO THEY COMMIT SIMILAR OFFENSES FOR THE SAME REASONS. A STRIKING CHARACTERISTIC OF MANY OFFENDERS IS THEIR RELATIVE LACK OF DISTRESS ABOUT THEIR ATTRACTION TO CHILDREN. THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MAKEUP OF OFFENDERS IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE THE TRAUMA OF THEIR VICTIMS IS NOTED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.