The sharks and the fishermen: An exploratory content analysis of police officers who abused their positions for a sexual purpose

Abstract

Abuse of position for a sexual purpose (APSP) in police officers is a serious form of corruption that often re-victimises highly vulnerable people such as victims of domestic abuse and rape. It is thought to be underreported by victims because they fear disbelief and negative repercussions. As a consequence, such behaviour may go undetected for a long time. Using a content analysis of 10 completed APSP investigations conducted by an English police force, the research explored the characteristics and behaviour of both the police officers and victims involved. The results suggest that there may be differences in behaviours and victim selection within APSP perpetrators. Two perpetrator types are tentatively suggested: the shark and the fisherman. The shark is characterised by those who make rapid sexual contact with a specifically targeted highly vulnerable victim, often causing lasting harm. The fisherman uses a more tentative approach, casting a wide net to many potential victims (with similarities to grooming) but often failing to make sexual contact. The behaviour of both offending styles, and the implications for internal police investigations, is discussed.