Female Sex Offenders
Recently there has been much more discussion of women as possible perpetrators of child sexual abuse than in earlier years. Some researchers suggest it is not as rare as previously assumed. However, there is still considerable disagreement and confusion about just how frequently women sexually abuse children, what type of women do this, and under what circumstances.
Finkelhor, Williams, and Burns (1988), in a national study of 270 day care cases, report that 40% of the perpetrators were women. These women tended to be intelligent, educated, highly regarded in their communities, and not likely to have a history of known deviant behavior. Many of these apparently normal women were alleged to have engaged in extremely deviant behavior including …show more content…
Many of these are based on small samples and case studies. As with any case study or small sample, the information may not accurately generalize the characteristics of many female perpetrators. However, this information provides a necessary starting point (www.ischool.utexas.edu).
Mathews, Matthews, and Speltz (1987) and Patton (1987), report on a study of 16 female sexual offenders who were in the Genesis II treatment project in Minnesota. All but one of the women studied were victims of childhood sexual abuse and many were also victims of physical abuse. There were strong and consistent patterns of childhood social isolation, alienation, and lack of development of interpersonal skills in the women studied. Three categories of female sex offenders were described; the “Teacher/Lover,” “Predisposed” and “Male-Coerced” …show more content…
These women represented 14% of the total of 289 perpetrators of sexual abuse. Many of the women had significant difficulties in psychological and social functioning. About half had mental problems, both retardation and psychotic illness. More than half had chemical dependency problems, and close to three-fourths had harmed their victims in other ways in addition to the sexual abuse (http://www.ipt-forensics.com).
Another study by McCarty in 1986 describes the characteristics of 26 mother-child incest offenders. These women were identified by the Dallas Incest Treatment Program over a three-year period and made up 4% of the total offender population. Nine of the mothers were assisting their male partner while 12 were independent offenders. All but two of the women described their childhood as difficult and abusive. When the mother was a co-offender, her dependency on her spouse was the major contributing factor. Half of these women were of borderline intelligence (Elliot, Michele
Finkelhor, Williams, and Burns (1988), in a national study of 270 day care cases, report that 40% of the perpetrators were women. These women tended to be intelligent, educated, highly regarded in their communities, and not likely to have a history of known deviant behavior. Many of these apparently normal women were alleged to have engaged in extremely deviant behavior including …show more content…
Many of these are based on small samples and case studies. As with any case study or small sample, the information may not accurately generalize the characteristics of many female perpetrators. However, this information provides a necessary starting point (www.ischool.utexas.edu).
Mathews, Matthews, and Speltz (1987) and Patton (1987), report on a study of 16 female sexual offenders who were in the Genesis II treatment project in Minnesota. All but one of the women studied were victims of childhood sexual abuse and many were also victims of physical abuse. There were strong and consistent patterns of childhood social isolation, alienation, and lack of development of interpersonal skills in the women studied. Three categories of female sex offenders were described; the “Teacher/Lover,” “Predisposed” and “Male-Coerced” …show more content…
These women represented 14% of the total of 289 perpetrators of sexual abuse. Many of the women had significant difficulties in psychological and social functioning. About half had mental problems, both retardation and psychotic illness. More than half had chemical dependency problems, and close to three-fourths had harmed their victims in other ways in addition to the sexual abuse (http://www.ipt-forensics.com).
Another study by McCarty in 1986 describes the characteristics of 26 mother-child incest offenders. These women were identified by the Dallas Incest Treatment Program over a three-year period and made up 4% of the total offender population. Nine of the mothers were assisting their male partner while 12 were independent offenders. All but two of the women described their childhood as difficult and abusive. When the mother was a co-offender, her dependency on her spouse was the major contributing factor. Half of these women were of borderline intelligence (Elliot, Michele