Characteristics and psychological theories of child molesters

¶ … marked increase in the number of children victimized by child molesters. The advent and popularity of the internet has spawned a new breed of molesters that are preying upon children. The purpose of this discussion is to examine the type of individuals that molest children. The research will focus on several studies and observations that have been made concerning the nature of individuals that molest children.

Child Molesters

According to Taylor & Quayle (2003), sexual contact between adults and children has been documented throughout the course of written history (Taylor & Quayle, 2003). In some cases it appears that there are varying degrees of tolerance for such contact in some societies. The author asserts that the idea and child sexual abuse did not come into focus as a social issue until the 1980's when academic research began to surface (Taylor & Quayle, 2003). When molestation began to be characterized as a serious social issue many studies came about which examined the characteristics of child molesters (Taylor & Quayle, 2003). In addition, studies began to focus on the affect of molestation on victims. Through this research it was discovered that child molestation occurred quite often (Taylor & Quayle, 2003). One researcher even pointed out 'In every locale where it has been sought, researchers have demonstrated its existence at levels high enough to be detected through surveys of a few hundred adults in the general population (Taylor & Quayle, 2003, pg. 47)."

Although there has been a great deal of research done concerning the topic of child molesters in recent years, most of what is known about these individuals is taken from Freud.

Freud asserted that deviant sexual behaviors are caused by character disorders (Taylor & Quayle, 2003). Freud characterized these deviant behaviors as perversions. He also contended that such perversions occur because the object of the molester's sexual dire was diverted (Taylor & Quayle, 2003). Freud also believed that such a perversion usually arises in early childhood and these deviant behaviors are unchangeable in most cases. In addition Freud claimed the sexual abuse of children was frequently found 'among school children and child attendants' (14), and that sexual impulses were amongst those least controlled by 'the higher activities of the mind'...the 'untreatability' aspect of Freud's account has had a profound effect on attitudes toward treatment that has only been challenged within more recent years (Taylor & Quayle 2003, pg. 48)."

In addition to Freud, others have provided theories associated with explaining the mindset of sexual offenders. For instance, Fraser posited that unresolved oedipal strivings amongst male offenders caused them to become molesters. He believed that even when some males grow older they are still in love with their boyhood selves.

Fraser also tended to link the child abuse of children to homosexuality. This belief has proven faulty overtime because many offenders tend to abuse children of the opposite sex.

The author further explains that there exists another theory that has a great deal of influence within the context of the therapeutic community. This theory asserts that there is often an improper occurrence of events including behaviors, thoughts and feelings, allowing for the organization of behaviors that are deviant. This organization is formed as and result of various stimulus and response characteristics. With this theory as the foundation it is believed that children can be exposed to scenarios in which some premature arousal to stimuli occurs (Taylor & Quayle 2003). When this is united with improper masturbatory fantasies throughout adolescence deviant sexual behavior or molestation may be the end result (Taylor & Quayle 2003).

It appears that these inappropriate occurrences are questionable in and of themselves as opposed to being indicative of some additional primary dysfunction. This theory of why people tend to molest children is different from biological theories because they tend to emphasize the genetic, hormonal or neuropsychological causes associated with molestation. The author asserts that one study Bogaert (2001) evaluated the substantiation for increased instances of non-righthandedness in sex offenders as a measure of fundamental developmental or central nervous system abnormalities. "While such correlational studies are interesting, they do little to move us away from models emphasizing associations between a variety of biological factors and the emergence of behavior that is socially labeled as deviant (Taylor & Quayle 2003)." In other words, these types of studies often fail to ascertain what causes some individuals to molest children because developmental or central nervous system irregularities while others with these same irregularities are not affected in that way (Taylor & Quayle 2003).

In addition some accounts of sexual deviance are identified as paraphilias as per the classification system of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The diagnostic tool for this classification is DSM-IV. According to this diagnostic tool paraphillia is present when there are repeated and powerful sexual urges, fantasies or behaviors containing objects, children or nonconsenting adults, or torment or degradation (Taylor & Quayle 2003). Individuals that are diagnosed with paraphillia must have experienced the aforementioned symptoms for at least six months and the symptoms must also have an adverse affect on the individual's social life or work life. Pedophilia is a type of paraphillia, and is characterized by 'Sexuality and Gender Identity Disorders' (Taylor & Quayle 2003). Additionally the DSMIV classification makes a distinction between people who have a sexual attraction only to children and people who are also attracted to adults (Taylor & Quayle 2003).

The differences of opinion concerning the reasons why people molest children are evident (Seto et al., 2005). Each of the aforementioned theories associated with why individuals commit sexual offenses against children have been accepted to some extent; some have been accepted wholly while others have only experienced partial acceptance. The next section of the discussion will provide information associated with studies and observations that have been published over the past five years.

Child Molesters and heterosocial competence

In his meta-analysis Dreznick (2003) sought to focus on the relationship between child molesters and heterosocial competence of both rapists and child molesters. Heterosocial competence is the ability to function heterosexually. Various studies have found that many child molesters have poor heterosocial skills. Emmers-Sommer et al. (2004) explains heterosocial competence more clearly by defining it as the inability to initiate and sustain relationships with potential sexual partners can generate alternative outlets or outcomes that involve anti-social behaviors. A cornerstone of this argument is the assumption that sexual offenders, on average, lack social skills. Social skills involve two sets of inter-related processes: (a) ability to interpret the messages and situation correctly, and, (b) ability to generate the appropriate message within the context (Emmers-Sommer et al., 2004, pg. 1)."

To be included in the meta-analysis performed by Dreznick (2003) studies must have evaluated the heterosocial competence with behavioral or self-report measures (Dreznick, 2003). In addition the researcher also gathered effect size data addressing certain measures including fear of intimacy if the framework was related to a heterosexual relationship. Additionally studies had to include sex offenders as an aspect of its samples. However the offenders did not have to be convicted of a sexual offense (Dreznick, 2003). For example participants who reported being a part of physical activity that was sexually coercive would be labeled as rapists in the sample (Dreznick, 2003).

Additionally studies that could not be included in the meta-analysis were inclusive of those that found "no significant differences" amongst groups but failed to produce statistical proof of such an assertion (Dreznick, 2003).

For instance, in their study Spaccarelli, Bowden, Coatsworth, and Kim (1997) reported no significant differences amongst violent non-sex-offending, sexually aggressive, and less violent non-sex-offending delinquents in perceived heterosocial competence (Dreznick, 2003). However, the researchers failed to include key statistical information including standard deviations and means leading to misleading results. In addition some studies only provided statistical information that was partially sufficient, for these studies only certain measures could be utilized (Dreznick, 2003).

In the end there were a total of 14 published studies used to complete the meta-analysis. These published studies resulted in 119 effect sizes with responses from 5,295 participants (Dreznick, 2003). Each of these participants were adult males, with the exception of one study in which the participants were teenage males with the average age being 15. Samples where rapist were involved included both incarcerated and nonincarcerated men.

All samples where child molesters were participants were of incarcerated men. Though, in a number of the studies the child molesters had been chosen to go through treatment. In addition there were other studies that failed to specify whether the molestation was incestuous or nonfamilial or whether their victims were male or female (Dreznick, 2003). With this being the case, child molesters were sited in a single category.

The findings of the meta-analysis were consistent with the hypotheses of the researcher. The researcher found the following the studies reviewed in this article have consistently shown that child molesters have poorer heterosocial skills than either rapists, incarcerated non-sex-offenders, or nonoffenders. I predicted that child molesters would have less heterosocial competence than non-sex-offenders. This hypothesis was supported, and is consistent with previous research. I also predicted that the difference in heterosocial competence between child molesters and non-sex-offenders would be significantly larger than the difference between rapists and non-sex-offenders. This hypothesis was also supported (Dreznick, 2003,pg 170)."

The researcher also hypothesized that the variation in heterosocial competence amongst child molesters and nonincarcerated non-sex-offenders would be considerably larger than the variation amongst child molesters and incarcerated non-sex-offenders (Dreznick, 2003). The findings of the meta-analysis were consistent with this hypothesis.

The author of this meta-analysis concluded that because child molesters have significant problems with heterosocial skills social skills training may assist in the treatment of these individuals. However the author points out that the treatment of heterosocial skills is only one component of an overall treatment program. Other components of a treatment program may include anger management and increasing empathy for the children that are victimized (Dreznick, 2003).

Additionally the author points out certain limitations of the study. For instance, that all of the child molesters that participated in the study were behind bars. Therefore, it could also be concluded that many sex offenders have very good social skills and have been able to avoid capture (Dreznick, 2003). In addition the author explains that predators that go to foreign countries so that they can get away with having sexual contact with children may also have high heterosocial skills. As such it may be important in the future to examine child molesters that are not in jail.

Child Molesters that are Socially Skilled

The assertions made by Dreznick (2003) related to the idea that some child molesters have very good social skills is confirmed in a book entitled "The Socially Skilled Child Molester." In this book the author, Van Dam (2006) explains that one of the reasons why child molestation is so prevalent can be attributed to the ability of the molester to behave charismatically. The author insists that those that are responsible for the well-being of children are often "enchanted" by the charisma, friendliness and support of socially adept molesters that the author refers to as groomers. In addition the author posits that parents and other adults are often so impressed with the groomers persona that even when they suspect that something is wrong they hesitate to confront the situation because they fear that the reputation of the groomer will be damaged by allegations (Van Dam, 2006).

A book entitled Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders: Who They Are, How They Operate, and How We Can Protect Ourselves and Our Children, confirms the aforementioned tactics of child molesters. Although there are many factors that are consistent when one studies and examines the mind of a child molester, the truth of the matter is many child molesters are the person that you would least expect of such a crime. After all most people do not know what to look for in a child predator and as such molesters can often disguise themselves as a regular person that cares about children. This is why molesters are often referred to as 'the person you would least expect' (Salter, 2004). The author also explains that quite often a child molester will live a double life. In the words of one molester "I would do kind and generous things for people... I would go to nursing homes. Talk with the elderly. Pray with the elderly Salter, 2004 page31)."

Female Child Molesters

When most people think of child sexual predators they only envision men preying on children (Reavey & Warner, 2003). Although it is true that must molesters are men, there are also child molesters who are women. According to Denov (2003) traditional ideas of sexual scripts often prevent our society from identifying female abusers. Self report studies have demonstrated that the sexual abuse by female offenders is more prevalent than previously believed. However, there is still a belief that women are not sexual aggressive. Additionally traditional sex scripts define femininity as protecting, nurturing and nonsexual (Denov 2003). One research observed

Socially, we, as a culture, find it particularly difficult to think that women would sexually abuse children. Our Judeo-Christian heritage places enormous emphasis on women as warm, nurturing mothers. Furthermore, we are, at best, culturally ambivalent about female sexuality. We struggle with the notion of women-particularly mothers -- being sexual at all (Denov (2003, p. 3)"

The author further asserts that the inability to view females as sexual predators has been confirmed by various studies. One study asked 180 females and 180 males the perceived affects of molestation on victims (Denov 2003). Those participating in the study tended to believe that male victims that were molested by women would suffer les harm than female victims molest by men (Denov 2003).

In addition the participants believed that a male predator and a female victim scenario was most characteristic of sexual child abuse (Denov 2003). The author again points out that the prevalence of traditional sex scripts that view women as sexually passive may be a significant reason why sex offenses committed by women are not reported and in some cases not even recognized.

An even more disturbing trend is the manner in which these traditional sex scripts have been widely accepted within the spheres of criminal law and clinical/social service agencies (Denov 2003). This trend is disturbing because these institutions are usually charged with assisting victims by ensuring that predators are punished and that victims receive treatment.

It is apparent from the literature presented that female child molesters do exist. However, it is also apparent that traditional beliefs about women's roles in society make it difficult for people to believe that women can commit child molestation. As a result many incidences of child sexual assault involving female molesters are not recognized and are often not reported to the proper officials. In addition when they are recognized, female predators may not be punished as harshly as male predators and those that have been victimized by females may not receive the same type of psychological treatment as those that have been victimized by men.

Conclusion

The purpose of this discussion was to examine the type of individuals that molest children. The research acknowledges that child molestation is a serious societal problem that must be taken seriously. The literature asserts that there are several reasons why people engage in deviant sexual behaviors. It is apparent that the psychological community has a difference of opinion related to the causes of child molestation and what processes lead individuals to the decision to molest a child.

It appears that some child molesters lack heterosocial skills and as a result of the inability to attract normal sexual attention their attention turns to children. In addition a lack of social skills can cause some to miss social cues and therefore be rejected by the opposite sex.

On the other hand, the research indicates that a significant number of child molesters have exceptional social skills and they are able to manipulate those around them. The research indicates that some child molesters are so skilled at manipulating those around them that adults that may suspect that children are being molested will not report it because they fear ruining the reputation of the molester.

Additionally the research also reflects a correlation between child molesters and the type of early interpersonal relationships they experienced. More specifically the research asserts that child molesters often strongly dependent upon their mothers. In addition child molesters were more likely to have been sexually abused than other types of criminals. The research also indicates that child molesters usually possess negative views of themselves.

The research also found that child sexual abuse committed by females often goes unrecognized and underreported. The research into this phenomenon seems to indicate that society's traditional view of women as nonsexual nurturers prevents society from viewing them as sexual aggressors.

Overall it is apparent that child molesters do not necessarily fit into one category and the reasons for the behaviors can vary greatly. However, there are some characteristics that seem to be consistent with many child molesters. In many cases they are preoccupied with being accepted, they tend to live double lives and more often then not they were sexually abused as children. One of the most disturbing findings of this research is the fact that molesters could be anyone and in many cases it is not someone that would be suspected of committing any crime against a child.

The research also indicates a need to do further research so that parents and those responsible for the safety and the well being of children know how to watch for signs of sexual abuse being done to children. It is also apparent that advents in technology have increased the autonomy of predators and led to increases in the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.