Extrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse Research Articles

Differential Profiles of Sexually Abused Adolescent Boys

ABSTRACT Victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) are a heterogeneous population. Several characteristics may influence the outcomes associated with this adverse childhood experience, including personal (e.g. age) and CSA characteristics (e.g. relationship to the perpetrator). This study relied on a person-centered approach to account for this heterogeneity and focused on adolescent boys, an understudied population. Data were drawn from a representative sample of high school students aged 14 to 18 years old in Quebec, Canada. A total of 3.9% (n = 138) of boys reported CSA. Various CSA characteristics (severity, relationship to the perpetrator, and number of events) were used as indicators to derive classes. A four-class solution emerged from the latent class analysis: CSA in a sports context (6%), intrafamilial CSA (8%), extrafamilial CSA (52%) and multiple CSA (34%). The multiple CSA profile included boys who were sexually abused in multiple situations by different perpetrators and who were victims of acts involving penetration. The exploration of correlates associated with class membership revealed that adolescent boys included in the multiple CSA profile were distinguished by higher rates of delinquent behaviors and alcohol and drug use. They were more likely than members of other latent classes to belong to sexual minorities. This exploratory study sheds light on sexually victimized adolescent boys and the deleterious consequences that may affect them, particularly boys who have experienced multiple CSA events. We conclude that prevention efforts should focus on the demystification of sexual trauma among boys and on using trauma-informed care approaches for adolescent externalizing behaviors.

Intra and Extra-Familial Child Sexual Abuse: The Role of Psychopathy

The present study analyses the relationship between psychopathic traits, the four facets of psychopathy (i.e., interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial), and the type of crime committed (i.e., intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sexual abuse; and nonsexual crimes). The Self-Report Psychopathy Scale – Short Form (SRP-SF) and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale – Short Form were completed by 110 male individuals who sexually offended minors (ISOMs) and 146 individuals convicted for nonsexual crimes. Four binary logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for sociodemographic, criminal, and individual variables. ISOMs are less likely to score high in the SRP-SF total score and the interpersonal facet and more likely to score high in the affective facet than individuals with nonsexual crimes. Besides, ISOMs are less likely to have a prior history of alcohol and drug abuse and to have previous contact with the justice system but are more likely to have a history of psychological problems. Therefore, only the prior alcohol and drug abuse history emerged as predictors for ISOMs subtypes. According to our results, psychopathic traits should not be considered in the assessment and intervention of ISOMs, and the focus of the intervention should be on the affective dimension and the level of psychopathology.

Características neurocognitivas de abusadores sexuales infantiles: una revisión de alcance

The prevalence of child sexual abuse makes it necessary to continue carrying out studies that allow to deepen the analysis of this problem, the research focuses, as expected, on the victims; with the interest of contributing to the examination of sexual offenders, the present research aims to identify and compare neurocognitive characteristics of child sexual offenders, based on a scoping review. The familiarity relationship between the victim - offender was taken as a reference, as well as the presence or absence of pedophilic interests. The search was conducted in four electronic databases: Proquest, ScienceDirect, Pubmed and Ebsco, with date range between 2013 and 2019. After applying exclusion criteria and eliminating repeated papers, from the initial 145,653 records, a final sample of nine articles was selected. The findings reveal a low proportion of research that met the inclusion criteria; however, it is evident that in general no significant differences are reported between intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sexual abusers in neurocognitive processes, except in working memory; with respect to social cognition, differences were found in emotional congruence and cognitive flexibility; relevant information to support prison treatment in the corresponding instances

"Our family sleeps deeply": The Presence of Others During Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse as Conveyed By Girls From Diverse Communities in Israel.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is generally perceived as a crime perpetrated out of sight, without witnesses. Nevertheless, several researchers have explored the presence of others during incidents of abuse in regards to two main aspects: bystanders in extrafamilial CSA and bystanders' decisions whether or not to get involved. However, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding how children who experience abuse perceive and experience the presence of others during abusive incidents. The current study was designed to examine the experiences and perceptions of girls who experienced intrafamilial CSA (IFCSA) with respect to the presence of others, as conveyed during their forensic interviews. A thematic analysis of 24 forensic interviews was conducted with secular Jewish, ultra-Orthodox Jewish, and Muslim Arab girls, aged 4-14. The analysis identified four main themes: (a) the girls' perceptions of others' awareness of them being abused, (b) the girl's experiences of loneliness, (c) the girls' experiences of disclosing to the others present during the abuse, and (d) family dynamics. The discussion highlights the unique, multifaceted and elusive dynamics of IFCSA, calling into question the commonly held view that it happens only in secret. The girls' narratives highlighted their distress and pointed to the abusive and unbearable daily routine in which they live. In spotlighting their encounters with IFCSA, the girls focused on the feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation they experienced.

Demographic characteristics of convicted child sexual abusers in South of Sweden, between 2013 and 2018: a pilot study

This study evaluates variables concerning demographic characteristics for all adult male offenders convicted of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) aged 0–17 in Malmö, Sweden between 2013 and 2018. All convictions (n = 18) based on court documents from the District Court, the Court of Appeals and information from the Swedish Tax Agency were reviewed. A total of 30 victims were identified. Frequency analyses show that the most common features were that of a single offender, averaging 25 years old, with a non-Swedish background and a high school degree. The predominately extrafamilial CSA (i.e. committed by an acquaintance to the family) occurred in a private setting and consisted of penetrative acts. Girls averaging 13 years old were abused multiple times, under fear and pressure. Although assumptions based on these results are preliminary, they provide a clearer image of the typical circumstances under which CSA occurred within this time frame and geographical location. This study is a first attempt to construct an overview of demographic characteristics of CSA. As more data are gathered from this region, more sophisticated analyses can be conducted, providing stronger generalizations. Information of this kind may be important for research, classification of offender profiling and in case linking.

Evading Detection: What Do We Know about Men Charged with Extrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse following Delayed Detection?

ABSTRACT Most child sexual abuse (CSA) remains unreported and undetected. Despite this, much of what we know about perpetrators of CSA is derived from samples of convicted CSA offenders. Significant knowledge gaps remain about those who have evaded detection. This study addresses this gap with an in-depth content analysis of the case files of ten convicted child sexual offenders (CSOs) with the longest detection lag, selected from a broader group (n = 349) of men incarcerated at the Massachusetts Treatment Center (MTC). Participants were examined on a range of offender characteristics including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), cognitive distortions, antisocial traits, indicators of pedophilia and Machiavellian or narcissistic traits, offense facilitating factors, and grooming behavior. A tentative profile emerged with the following characteristics: direct experience of childhood abuse, various cognitive distortions, specialized rather than versatile criminal history, pedophilic traits, Machiavellian traits, and engaging in a range of offense-facilitating behaviors including grooming. We provide insight into offenders who evade detection for CSA and set the foundation for further research to inform prevention strategies for law enforcement agencies and child-serving organizations.

A sexual abuse case series of infants and toddlers by a professional caregiver: A qualitative analysis of parents' experiences during the initial crisis period post-discovery

BackgroundThe discovery that one's child has been sexually abused may be one of the worst events a parent can experience. The importance of parental support for the recovery of child sexual abuse (CSA) victims emphasizes the need to gain insight in difficulties parents face after disclosure. ObjectiveTo improve crisis intervention by exploring how parents of very young, mostly male CSA victims involved in a large unique CSA case, look back on their initial reactions after disclosure, the impact of media coverage, and their experiences with service responses during the immediate aftermath of CSA discovery. Participants and settingWe conducted 18 qualitative interviews with 21 parents enrolled in the longitudinal Amsterdam Sexual Abuse Case (ASAC) study. MethodsWe used thematic analysis, combining a deductive and inductive approach. ResultsWe identified four themes regarding parents' initial experiences after disclosure: shock, uncertainty, roller coaster and survival mode. Four themes emerged regarding the impact of media coverage: vulnerable to exposure, fear that the child would recognize the suspect, no escape possible, and burden versus acknowledgement. Parents' experiences regarding the actions of professionals also generated four themes: stressful and confronting, need for support, need for information, and need for professional competence. ConclusionsDisclosure of extrafamilial CSA left parents in shock, affecting their sense of control. Media coverage exacerbated stress for many parents, although some also drew support from it. Actions of professionals defined by parents as helpful included: being supportive, compassionate, accessible, and competent, providing information, and promoting autonomy. Implications for professionals are discussed.

Scripting Extrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse: A Latent Class Analysis of the Entire Crime-Commission Process

Scripting Extrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse: A Latent Class Analysis of the Entire Crime-Commission Process

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy with Extra-Familial Abused Children

ABSTRACTSexual abuse by a perpetrator outside of the family is the most prevalent form of child sexual abuse. It is associated with serious consequences for both the child and his family. Surprisingly, however, the issue of extra-familial sexual abuse has received very little research and clinical attention. The purpose of the current study was to explore the effectiveness of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), which uses nondirective play therapy tools, among parents of extra-familial abused children and their parents. In order to do so, data was collected from 51 parents who participated in CPRT, at three points in time: pretreatment stage, at the beginning of the first meeting; and in the post treatment stage. The data included the parents’ reports via three questionnaires: Parenting Stress Inventory (PSI), Compassion Fatigue Self-Test (CFST), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Overall, the results indicated a decrease in internalizing and externalizing symptoms among the children, as well as in parenting stress and in parental secondary trauma symptoms. This study contributes to the literature on interventions with victims of extra-familial child abuse and their parents. Specifically, the results highlight the benefits and importance of involving both parents and children in therapeutic interventions for victims of extra-familial child sexual abuse, with particular emphasis on the benefits of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy.

Adult Profiles of Child Sexual Abuse Survivors: Attachment Insecurity, Sexual Compulsivity, and Sexual Avoidance

ABSTRACTThe present study examined the possibility of different groups of child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors based on their different patterns of attachment and sexual problems. A sample of 324 CSA survivors and 484 participants who did not report any child maltreatment experiences completed online questionnaires. A cluster analysis on attachment and sexual outcomes revealed that CSA survivors formed two distinct profiles. The first profile included CSA survivors with elevated attachment anxiety and low to moderate scores on attachment avoidance, sexual compulsion, and sexual avoidance. The second profile comprised CSA survivors with high scores on attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, sexual compulsion, and sexual avoidance. These groups were then compared on CSA severity, gender differences, and other child maltreatment experiences. As compared to CSA survivors of the first profile, survivors from the second profile reported more intrusive and extrafamilial CSA, higher rates of psychological maltreatment and witnessed parental violence, and experienced more personal and couple distress. These results suggest that CSA survivors form a heterogeneous population and that sexual abuse is differentially associated with the complex unfolding of the attachment and sexual systems within two distinct subgroups.

Sexual abuse in very young children: a psychological assessment in the Amsterdam Sexual Abuse Case study

ABSTRACTBackground: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide problem affecting children of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. A knowledge gap exists regarding the psychological outcomes for children, boys in particular, who are abused during their early lives.Objective: To provide a descriptive psychological profile of children who experienced sexual abuse as infants or toddlers from a male daycare worker and babysitter, and to assess the psychopathological impact on their parents.Method: Parents of children involved in the Amsterdam Sexual Abuse Case (41 parents; 44 children, age range 3–11 years, 30 boys, 14 girls) completed measures on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation, sexual and non-sexual behaviour problems, and attachment insecurity in their children, as well as on parental psychological well-being, 3 years after disclosure. Sexual abuse characteristics were obtained from police records.Results: We found that 3% of confirmed child victims had PTSD, 30% sexual behaviour problems, 24% internalizing problems, 27% attachment insecurity, and 18% any psychiatric disorder (including PTSD); 39% were asymptomatic. In parents, we found feelings of guilt, shame, and anger about the abuse of their child; 19% showed PTSD symptoms and 3% showed avoidant and 8% anxious attachment problems in their intimate relationship. Parental symptomatology was related to child symptomatology, except for child sexual behaviour problems. One-quarter of confirmed child victims and 45% of parents had received psychological treatment.Conclusions: Three years after disclosure, extrafamilial CSA in very young children was associated with sexual and non-sexual behaviour problems and attachment insecurity, but rarely with PTSD or dissociation. For parents it was associated with PTSD symptoms and emotional reactions. Assessments and interventions should focus on the wide spectrum of problems that follow CSA, as well as on parental psychopathology and the parent–child relationship. Future follow-up assessments in our longitudinal study should provide insights into longer-term outcomes.

Risk Assessment in Child Sexual Abusers Working With Children

Child sexual abuse occurring in a child- or youth-serving institution or organization has attracted great public and scientific attention. In light of the particular personal and offense-related characteristics of men who have abused children within such an institution or organization, it is of special importance to evaluate the predictive performance of currently applied risk assessment instruments in this offender population. Therefore, the present study assessed the risk ratings and predictive performance of four risk assessment instruments and one instrument assessing protective factors concerning any, violent and sexual recidivism in child sexual abusers working with children (CSA-W) in comparison with extra-familial child sexual abusers (CSA-E) and intra-familial child sexual abusers (CSA-I). The results indicate that CSA-W mostly recidivate with a sexual offense. Although all included risk measures seem to function with CSA-W, the Static-99 seems to be the instrument that performs best in predicting sexual recidivism in CSA-W. CSA-W had the most protective factors measured with the Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors (SAPROF). While the SAPROF could not predict desistance from recidivism in CSA-W, it predicted desistance from any recidivism in all CSA. As CSA-W frequently hold many indicators for pedophilic sexual interests but only a few for antisocial tendencies, it can be suggested that CSA-W are at an increased risk for sexual recidivism and thus risk measures especially designed for sexual recidivism work best in CSA-W. Nevertheless, CSA-W also hold many protective factors; however, their impact on CSA-W is not clear yet and needs further study.

Intra- and extra-familial child sexual abusers and recidivism in Sweden: a 10- to 15-year follow-up study

Rates of recidivism and types of recidivist crime have varied greatly in follow-up studies of child sexual abusers. In this long-term study of a population-based cohort (n = 193) and a nationwide clinic-referred study group (n = 166) of child sexual abusers, rates of recidivism and associations between index descriptors and outcomes were compared between intra-familial offenders and extra-familial offenders. Overall, 9.8% relapsed into sexual offence, 12.4% relapsed into violence and 2.6% relapsed into both types of offences in the population-based cohort. Corresponding numbers for the clinic-referred group were 13.9, 10.8 and 4.2%. Extra-familial offenders at index were significantly more likely to relapse into both sexual and violent criminality than intra-familial offenders, but no differences were found in rates of hands-off and hands-on crimes. Analysis of receiver operating characteristics showed that age at first conviction predicted sexual, violent and any criminality, with areas under the curve ranging from .67 to .80.

Pedophilic sexual interests and psychopathy in child sexual abusers working with children

Research has identified stable and dynamic characteristics in child sexual abusers working with children (CSA-W) that may distinguish them from other child sexual abusers (CSA). However, in previous research CSA-W have usually been included in the group of extra-familial CSA (CSA-E). Two hundred and forty-eight forensic-sexological reports about CSA conducted by the Federal Evaluation Centre for Violent and Sexual Offenders in the Austrian Prison System were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred and nineteen intra-familial CSA (CSA-I), 66 CSA-E, and 38 CSA-W were compared with regard to static risk factors, indicators of psychopathy, and pedophilic sexual interests. CSA-E had the highest risk of recidivism as measured by the Static-99 total score, followed by CSA-W. Furthermore, CSA-E had more previous convictions than CSA-W. Both CSA-E and CSA-I had higher total scores on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised than CSA-W. CSA-W had the highest prevalence of pedophilia diagnoses according to DSM-IV-TR criteria, as well as the highest rate of pedophilia with an orientation toward male children, and the highest frequency of male victims. CSA-W also had the highest total scores in the Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interests. CSA-W seem to constitute a group with particular risk factors and criminogenic needs, that is, they show more indicators of pedophilic sexual interests but less general antisociality and psychopathy, and would thus seem to be distinguishable from other CSA. Future research should focus in particular on evaluating differences in the grooming strategies used by CSA-W to commit and disclose child sexual abuse, as well as on the resources of this particular offender group.

Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse by Adolescents

This qualitative study aimed to study the process of disclosure by examining adolescents from the general population who had experienced child sexual abuse (CSA). Twenty-six sexually victimized adolescents (23 girls, 3 boys; age: 15-18 years) participated in a qualitative face-to-face in-depth interview on different aspects of disclosure. A qualitative content analysis was conducted following Mayring and using the qualitative data analysis program Atlas.ti. In addition, quantitative correlation analyses were calculated to identify factors associated with disclosure. Less than one third of participants immediately disclosed CSA to another person. In most cases, recipients of both immediate and delayed disclosure were peers. More than one third of participants had never disclosed the abuse to a parent. Main motives for nondisclosure to parents were lack of trust or not wanting to burden the parents. Factors that correlated positively with disclosure were extrafamilial CSA, single CSA, age of victim at CSA, and having parents who were still living together. Negative associations with disclosure were found for feelings of guilt and shame and the perpetrator's age. Many adolescent survivors of CSA have serious concerns about disclosure to their parents and consider friends as more reliable confidants. These findings have two main implications for prevention: (1) In order to facilitate disclosure to parents, the strengthening of the child-parent relationship should be given specific attention in prevention programs, and (2) prevention programs should aim at teaching adolescents how they can help a victim if they become a recipient of disclosure.

The Interactive Effect of Blame Attribution With Characteristics of Child Sexual Abuse on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The present study examined the role of attributions of blame for child sexual abuse (CSA) in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The interactive effects of attribution of blame with characteristics of abuse on PTSD were studied. A sample of 151 female victims of CSA participated in the study. Self-blame and family blame were related to higher PTSD scores, whereas perpetrator blame was not related to PTSD. The strength of the relationship between blame and PTSD score was higher in cases of more severe, isolated, and extrafamilial abuse. The findings suggest that diminishing self-blame attributions may be particularly advantageous in cases of isolated and extrafamilial CSA, whereas diminishing family blame would be more advantageous in cases of severe abuse.

Comparing Intra-Familial and Extra-Familial Child Sexual Abusers With Professionals Who Have Sexually Abused Children With Whom They Work

The aim of this study is to establish whether professionals who have sexually molested children with whom they work present as a homogeneous group identifiable by their personal histories, offending patterns, and profiles as distinct from other child molesters (intra-familial and extra-familial offenders). Participants were matched on age and IQ. It was found that child molesters who were professionals (similar to extra-familial offenders generally) were likely to have sexually abused male, or both male and female, children and had abused more than 20 child victims. Professionals were also significantly more likely to have offended against post-pubescent children than were extra-familial or intra-familial offenders. In terms of psychological profiles, professionals, like extra-familial offenders, were found to have a significantly higher level of reported sexual pre-occupation and emotional over-identification with children compared with intra-familial offenders and a significantly lower level of distorted sexual attitudes about their victims compared with extra-familial offenders. These results are discussed in the context of assessment that might be used to assess risk in those working with children in a professional capacity.

Severity of Child Sexual Abuse, Post- Traumatic Stress and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among HIV-Positive Women

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been shown to enhance risk for HIV infection and other adverse outcomes. However, most studies examine the effects of a single incident of CSA rather than the full burden of abuse over the life span in predicting these adverse outcomes. A multi-dimensional approach was used in this study to examine the severity of abuse as a predictor of post-traumatic stress, depression, sexual symptoms, and risky sexual behaviors in a multi-ethnic sample of 147 HIV-positive women. Multivariate models indicated that experiencing both intrafamilial and extrafamilial CSA, adult sexual abuse (ASA) and Latina ethnicity predicted PTSD symptoms. ASA also predicted sexual trauma symptoms. Also, CSA and adult re-victimization contributed independently to risk for PTSD and sexual trauma symptoms, but not for risky sexual behaviors. The results support the need for interventions for HIV-positive women that address the full burden of abuse experienced and its sequelae.

Engendering Trauma

Using extra familial child sexual abuse (CSA) as an example of family trauma, the author interviewed 60 parents of sexually abused boys on multiple occasions to analyze the organization of gender, race, and class in parental coping processes. Despite access to alternative interpretations of CSA that challenge conventional notions of gender, parents in this study typically rely on traditional themes to make meaning of the CSA experience. The author organized the data analytically around gender strategies and found that parents used race- and class-specific gender strategies in the aftermath of trauma. Most important, mother-blame is theorized as a form of gender reaffirmation. The author uses the term gender reaffirmation to illustrate the way social actors recuperate after a situation has been interpreted as detrimental, challenging, or stressful to heteronormative gender relations. Mother-blaming accounts encouraged race and class enactments of gender that had negative consequences for women and helped maintain men’s cultural power.

A critical review of available data on sexual abuse of children in Denmark

Objective: To describe different data sources that may illuminate the incidence and character of child sexual abuse (CSA) in Denmark in the late 1990s. Method: Data concerning alleged sexual abuse of children below 15 years of age in the 1990s were retrieved from the Danish National Patient Register and the Danish National Criminal Register. In addition, all police files concerning reported CSA in 1 year (1998), were reviewed. Results: The average annual incidence of CSA was .06 per 1,000 children, based on data in the National Patient Register; however, it was .5 per 1,000 based on data in the Criminal Register. In the Criminal Register, significant annual differences were found in cases of sexual offence against children below 12 years. The police reports comprised very comprehensive information about the victims and the character of CSA. Based on this information the incidence of police reported CSA in 1998 was 1.0 per 1,000 children, and .6 per 1,000 excluding reported cases of indecent exposure. Half of intra-familial CSA resulted in a conviction compared to 40% of extra-familial CSA and 16% of indecent exposure. Conclusions: In Denmark, criminal statistics contain the most systematic collection of data on CSA. However, data reflect the reporting behavior by parents or other closely related adults, which may be influenced by changes in public awareness of the problem. Consequently, register data should be supplemented by data obtained from self-reported surveys on CSA.