The link between incest abuse and sexual addiction

Abstract

In their search to understand factors that influence incest offenders to engage in their criminal behavior, researchers have investigated a number of avenues, such as feelings of powerlessness, repressed anger, unresolved conflicts, and a variety of others. Few have systematically explored the possibility that sexual addiction plays a significant role. In this study, a sample of 132 self-confessed incest offenders completed the Sexual Addictions Screening Test (SAST) and the Self-Assessment Survey (SAS), and a control group of 100 men completed the SAST. Results found significant differences between offenders and controls on all 25 items on the SAST (with the majority of t values greater than 10), suggesting obsessive involvement with sexual ideation and sexual activities by the offenders. On the SAS, offenders were significantly more likely to be involved in sexual fantasies, masturbation, pornography, voyeurism, harassment, forced sex, and seduction than SAS norms. Results from both tests suggest that sexual addiction may be a significant factor that drives incestuous behavior.