SEX CRIMES IN HISTORY

Sex Crimes in History

Sex Crimes in History

Introduction

Sex offenders, especially those who victimize children, are among the most despised of all violent criminals, and their crimes, sexual victimizations, are a leading cause of injury in the United States (Winick, 2007). Still, much of what people believe as facts about sex offenders are based more in folklore than in science (Snyder, 2008). The media's intense coverage of stranger-related kidnappings and murders of young girls by dangerous sex offenders misdirects fear and attention toward stranger-danger and has created a new category of laws (sex offender legislation) that is unlikely to protect victims or deter sex offenders (Ward, 2006).

Sex Offender Typologies

Some evidence suggests that the risk of sexual recidivism may differ by sex offender typology (category of sex offender) (National Institute of Justice, 2007). One study found that rates of sexual reoffense for incest offenders (those who offend against family members) ranged between 4 percent and 10%; rates of sexual recidivism for child molesters with female victims ranged between 10% and 29%; rates of sexual recidivism for child molesters with male victims ranged between 13% and 40%; rates of sexual recidivism for rapists ranged between 7% and 35%; and rates of sexual recidivism for exhibitionists (those who expose themselves in public) ranged between 41% and 71% (Salter, 2005).

Numerous studies have examined recidivism rates for rapists. Rates of sexual recidivism for rapists have ranged between 11% and 28% over 5 years (Prior, 2006). Researchers have postulated that these discrepancies in recidivism rates could be attributed to the fact that there are different types of rapists (such as those who are mentally disordered vs. those on probation) and the differential length of follow-up (Prentky, 2005).

When studying recidivism rates among sex offenders who commit sexual offenses against children, researchers generally separate the sex offenders into three categories: (1) those who molest girls; (2) those who molest boys; and (3) those who molest family members (incest offenders). Generally, it has been found that child molesters who have same-sex victims are at risk of higher rates of re-offending than those who offend against children of a different sex (Prentky, 2007). A study of mentally disordered child molesters who offended against boys found a recidivism rate of 30% over 5 years, compared with a 25% recidivism rate for child molesters who offended against girls and a recidivism rate of 6% for incest offenders (National Institute of Justice, 2007). However, other studies have found no differences between recidivism rates for child molesters with male or female victims (Meloy, 2006).

Victim-Offender Relationship

The vast majority of sexual victimizations, especially those involving females and young children, are committed by offenders who are related to or know the victim prior to the attack (Cumming, 2005). In fact, only 3% of the youngest victims (under the age of 6) are sexually assaulted by strangers. These data are contrary to popular perception, which harbors the notion that most sex crimes are committed by strangers (Winick, 2007). Although victims are less likely to be sexually ...