Citation

McClurg G, Craissati J, Wiseman M. J. Sex. Aggress. 1994; 1(2): 83-92.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13552609408413246

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The collection of descriptive data on sex offenders is by no means a new phenomena, although little research has collated comprehensive data on a British community sample. Over an 18 month period, 44 referrals of convicted perpetrators of child sexual abuse were received and data from interview, documentation and psychometric measures collected. Socio-demographic and background data were largely compatible with those of previous research, including a significant history of childhood difficulties, and sexual dysfunction in adulthood. The low IQ, social class and social skills found may be a result of bias in those cases coming to the attention of the legal system. It was demonstrated that there were clear subgroups of subjects with definite victim preferences: those abusing boys were significantly more likely to have been a victim of childhood sexual abuse, reported a greater degree of psychosexual disturbance, and were charged more often for offences of buggery. Tentative clusterings of data are also discussed for recidivist and incest subjects, and these will be explored as the project progresses. The second stage of the research will be to compare outcomes - individual and group - among those subjects accepted into the Challenge Project treatment programme.