Juvenile Sex Offenders Essay
Introduction
Juveniles who perpetrate sexual offenses are defined as ‘those who commit any sexual act against the victim’s will, without consent, or in an aggressive, exploitive, or threatening manner’. Generally, the same criteria are used in regard to adults and adolescents in terms of what constitutes a sexual offense. Behaviours deemed inappropriate and illegal include fondling, frottage, and digital, penile or object penetration of the vagina or anus, and oral copulation. Also included are such behaviours as voyeurism, exhibitionism, and obscene phone calls. According to Hunter, ‘these juveniles are usually between 12 and 17 years of age and are mostly male, although some studies have found a number of females and prepubescent perpetrators’. Sexually abusive behaviours can vary from non-contact offenses to acts of penetration. These sexually …show more content…
Although these statistics suggest that juvenile sex offenses are more prevalent than was once thought, estimates are likely to be low due to issues of secrecy and under-reporting. Survivors of sexual assault suffer both immediate and long-term problems that are likely to impact their mental health, self-esteem, feelings of safety, and relationships with others, to name a few. Perpetrators of sexual offenses are also affected by the negative outcomes of their behaviour, and as mentioned, they often display these patterns of sexually deviant behaviour throughout their lives. These patterns are resistant to change and some young offenders seem to be unaware of the seriousness or deviance of their behaviour. Statistics such as those mentioned earlier, and the high risk that perpetrators pose to their victims and the community at large, supports the need for effective treatment programs that will decrease the likelihood that offenders will continue such destructive patterns of
Juveniles who perpetrate sexual offenses are defined as ‘those who commit any sexual act against the victim’s will, without consent, or in an aggressive, exploitive, or threatening manner’. Generally, the same criteria are used in regard to adults and adolescents in terms of what constitutes a sexual offense. Behaviours deemed inappropriate and illegal include fondling, frottage, and digital, penile or object penetration of the vagina or anus, and oral copulation. Also included are such behaviours as voyeurism, exhibitionism, and obscene phone calls. According to Hunter, ‘these juveniles are usually between 12 and 17 years of age and are mostly male, although some studies have found a number of females and prepubescent perpetrators’. Sexually abusive behaviours can vary from non-contact offenses to acts of penetration. These sexually …show more content…
Although these statistics suggest that juvenile sex offenses are more prevalent than was once thought, estimates are likely to be low due to issues of secrecy and under-reporting. Survivors of sexual assault suffer both immediate and long-term problems that are likely to impact their mental health, self-esteem, feelings of safety, and relationships with others, to name a few. Perpetrators of sexual offenses are also affected by the negative outcomes of their behaviour, and as mentioned, they often display these patterns of sexually deviant behaviour throughout their lives. These patterns are resistant to change and some young offenders seem to be unaware of the seriousness or deviance of their behaviour. Statistics such as those mentioned earlier, and the high risk that perpetrators pose to their victims and the community at large, supports the need for effective treatment programs that will decrease the likelihood that offenders will continue such destructive patterns of