Forensic & Applied Cognitive Psychology Sexual Offending: Paedophiles & Child Molesters

1. Forensic & Applied Cognitive PsychologySexual Offending: Paedophiles & Child Molesters Dr Ann Henry Tuesday 12th November 2013

2. Sexual Offending • Media coverage – recent Jimmy Saville case & other cases of paedophilia/ child sexual abuse/ abusers • Extreme hostility & negative stigma towards paedophiles • Recidivism comparatively low • Megan’s law (USA) Megan abducted & murdered in 1994 • Sarah’s Law (UK) abducted & murdered in 2000. • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1706396.stm • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tabloid-ends-its-naming-of-sex-offenders-711154.html • Controversial & inconclusive research on role of pornography & sexual offending • Internet paedophiles (discussed fully in week 8 lecture)

3. Media images of Jimmy Saville story • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7rDUpgvx7g

4. Sexual Offending • Classifications of child molesters (Groth & Birnbaum, 1978) • Fixated Offenders • Developmentally fixated on a permanent or temporary basis. Sexual interest in children rather than adults.

5. Sexual Offending • Regressed Offenders • Men matured in their sexuality but return to an earlier level of psychosexual development. • Psychosexual history shows primary interest in peer aged or adult individuals, rather than younger ones

6. Sexual Offending: Definitions Paedophilia (Pedophilia in US): Persistent sexual interest in pre-pubescent children as reflected by one’s sexual fantasies, urges, thoughts, arousal patterns or behaviour. Hebephilia: refers to a sexual interest in young postpubescent children. Ephebophilia: denotes interest in children in mid-to-late adolescent range. Seto, 2009 (cited in Miller, 2013) argues that Hebephilia & Ephebophilia maybe distinct from Pedophilia. DSM-V – Paedophilia under ‘Paraphilic Disorders’.

7. Sexual Offending: Paedophilic offender typologies • Holmes & Holmes (1996) extended earlier work • a) Situational child molester – four sub-types • b) Preferential child molester – three subtypes

8. a) Situational child molester • Does not have preferential interest in children per se – but will molest them as targets of opportunity if other outlets are unavailable • Further divided into four sub-types:

9. a) Situational child molester: Regressed pedophile • Usually molest female children in response to some ego-threatening situation. • Can engage in sex with adults – but likely to regard child as ‘pseudoadult’ –

10. a) Situational child molester: Morally indiscriminate pedophile • Has sex with adults, but may forcefully or coercively abuse children as a way of heightening his excitement • Enjoys controlling helpless victims • Fantasises using bondage-related pornography

11. a) Situational child molester: Sexually indiscriminate pedophile • No particular preference for children, but abuses them – often his own children or stepchildren • Part of a more generally sexually omnivorous pattern involving a wide variety of common & unusual sexual practices and partners

12. a) Situational child molester: naive/ inadequate child molester • Suffers from some form of brain syndrome, intellectual deficiency or mental disorder that makes him unable to understand the wrongfulness of his actions and/or control his impulses. • Abuse children because he is regarded as too weird or undesirable by peers to obtain sex through usual social channels

13. b) Preferential child molester • Prefers children to adults as sexual objects – divided into two sub-types • Seductive molester • Fixated molester • Sadistic pedophile

14. b) Preferential child molester: seductive molester • Courts & grooms his victims with gifts & attention • Likely to rationalise that he and child have special relationship based on mutual affection • He may concurrently molest several children • Least likely of three sub-types to use violence

15. b) Preferential child molester: Fixated molester • Fixated at a primitive stage of psychosexual development • Finds children attractive because he is psychologically a child himself – often appearing socially immature and socially inept • Not likely to physically harm victims • Slowly wins victims over by gradual process of seduction & physical affection • Intimacy with the children is as important as actual sex

16. b) Preferential child molester: Sadistic pedophile • This is the most violent type of molester • Erotic gratification is based on fusion of sexual arousal & sadistic aggression • Premeditated & ritualized- moves from place to place • Typically prefers young boys – will stalk them & abduct them • Enjoys torturing, sexually assaulting & mutilating the children. • Gains max pleasure from fear, pain & horror of victims • Child often dies, but sometimes lives with disfigurement or permanent disability • Like a serial killer or serial killer with children as victims

17. Sexual Offending • How common is Paedophilia? • Unclear as depends on definition of sexual abuse used e.g. indecent assault, gross indecency, buggery, intercourse, rape. • Non-paedophile sexual arousal – using volume or circumference phallometry (aka plethysmography) conflicting findings (Hall et al, 1995) • Youthful offenders • Graves et al (1996) in USA found that up to half of child sexual abuse carried out by persons under age of 21

18. Sexual Offending: Theories of Paedophilia • Preconditions model • Psychotherapeutic/ cognitive model • Sexualisation model • Pathways model

19. Sexual Offending • Preconditions model of child molestation • Araji & Finkelhor (1985) • 1) Emotional congruence with children (lack self-esteem, psychosocially immature, may have need to dominate) • 2) Social arousal by children (child pornography, hormonal abnormalities/ imbalances) • 3) Blockages preventing adult contact (lack effective social skills, problems relating to adult females, repressive sexual socialisation in childhood) • 4) Disinhibition of norms against adult/child sex (offenders may be senile, alcohol may decrease inhibitions, incest-tolerant subculture)

20. Sexual Offending • Psychotherapeutic/ cognitive model • Suggests 4 steps • 1) Cognitive distortions/ distorted thinking e.g. having sex with a child is a good way of an adult teaching a child about sex. Beliefs about sexual nature of children. • 2) Grooming (bribes of sweets, other treats, trips out, threats of violence) • 3) Planning through fantasy • 4) Denial – denying the consequences of their actions

21. Sexual Offending • Sexualisation model • Howitt (1995) Experience of sexual abuse in childhood is a developmental process which can lead to paedophilia. • Early sexual abuse – especially if extreme or repeated - possible sexual experience with peers- adolescent paedophile career – paedophile adult • Controversial theory as women are more likely to be victims of childhood sexual, but less likely to be sexual offenders

22. Sexual Offending • Pathways model (Ward & Siegert, 2002) • Multi-factorial model – combining elements of previous models/ theories • Distal & Proximal factors • Distal factors (predispositions e.g. genetic/ childhood development) • Proximal factors (that might trigger predispositions e.g. environment, negative mood state)

23. Pathways Model • 4 psychological mechanisms • 1) Intimacy & social skills deficits • 2) Deviant sexual scripts • 3) Emotional dysregulation • 4) Cognitive distortions

24. Cognitive Distortions • Children as sexual objects • Entitlement- to have their sexual needs met • Dangerous world – children seen as reliable & trusting & gives offender comfort against danger • Uncontrollable – claims not to be on control of own actions & blames outside factors e.g. drugs/ alcohol • Nature of Harm – believes not all sexual activity is harmful & children can benefit from sexual activity with adults

25. Female child sex offenders (FCSOs) • Strickland (2008) true figure of FCSOs is unknown • In USA – average age of FCSOs 26-36, but can also be younger & much older women • Finkelhoret al (1990) 17% of male victims reported being abused as a child by women & 1% of female victims • FCOSs may choose victims of convenience of opportunity e.g. may be family caregivers or take jobs working with children as teachers/ child care workers etc. • Usually known to their victims & more likely to commit offences with male co-perpetrator • Tend to use less physical force than men – rely more on seduction or coercion • Less likely to use drugs or alcohol at time of offence

26. Female child sex offenders (FCSOs): Developmental Background • Tend to come from more deprived backgrounds than non-sexual female offenders. • Often subjected to poor living conditions, food deprivation & lack of medical care • Frequently suffered extreme emotional, verbal, physical & sexual abuse within their own families of origin • (Gannon & Rose, 2008)

27. Female child sex offenders (FCSOs):Psychological traits & Disorders • Emotional immaturity & dependency • Low self-esteem • Physical/ psychological abuse as children • Domestic violence • Social isolation & impaired intimacy • Sexual dysfunction • Deficient or confused interpersonal boundaries • Suppressed needs & repressed anger • Substance abuse • View themselves as victims & powerless to change their lives

28. Female child sex offenders (FCSOs):Psychological traits & Disorders • Factors listed on previous slide might result in a stunting effect of normal developmental pathways needed to build appropriate coping and social skills, healthy personality organisation, communication skills, social relationships, and feelings of self-worth. • Borderline and paranoid personality characterise many FCSOs – little evidence for psychopathy or anti-social personality disorders (which are common with male sex offenders)

29. Female child sex offenders (FCSOs): Typologies • Predisposed (intergenerational) FSO • Teacher/ Lover FCSO • Male-coerced FCSO • Psychologically disturbed FCSO • Heterosexual nurturer • Non-criminal heterosexual offender • Homosexual criminal offender • Female Sexual predator • Young adult child exploiter • Aggressive homosexual offender

30. Female child sex offenders (FCSOs): typologies summarised • 1) True Sexual predators of young adolescent boys • 2) A romantic relationship with a young teenage boy to compensate for unmet needs for intimacy and approval • 3) Career criminals who exploit children & adolescents for profit • 4) Mentally disordered offenders • 5) Female sex offender under the influence or coercion of a male partner

31. Sexual Offending • Internet Paedophile offending • Controversial topic – whether linked to contact paedophilia or not • Robbins & Darlington (2003) 27,000 people in the world go onto child pornography sites every day. A million images of child sexual abuse in circulation. • Internet chat rooms • Sexual fantasy vs contact sexual acts with children

32. Useful references • Craissati, J.,Falla, S. , McClurg, G & Beech, A. (2002). Risk reconviction rates & pro-offending attitudes for child molesters in a complete geographical area of London, The Journal of Sexual Aggression, 8 (11), 22-38. • Davidson, J (2006). Victims speak: comparing child sexual abusers & child victims accounts, perceptions & interpretations of sexual abuse. An international journal of evidence-based research, policy, & practice. 1, 159-174. • Middleton, D. Elliott, I.A., Mandeville-Norden, R. & Beech, A,R, (2006). An investigation into the applicability of the Ward & Siegert pathways model of child sexual abuse with internet offenders, Psychology, Crime & Law, 12 (6) 589-603. • Miller, L. (2013). Sexual offenses against children: patterns & motives. Aggression & Violent Behavior,18,506-519. • Murphy, W.D. & McGrath, R. (2008). Best Practices in Sex Offender Treatment, Prison Service Journal, 178, 3-9. • Mark E. Olver, Stephen C.P. Wong (2013) Treatment programs for high risk sexual offenders: Program and offender characteristics, attrition, treatment change and recidivism. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 18, 579–591 • Ward, T. & Brown, M. (2004). The Good Lives Model & conceptual issues in offender rehabilitation. Psychology, Crime & Law, 10(3), 243-257.