Sex Offenders and their Treatment Program

Sex Offenders and their Treatment Program

Introduction

Since the end of the 20th century, public attention regarding sex crimes has increased dramatically. The impetus for this increase was a collection of highly publicized cases in which young children were abducted, raped, or even murdered by someone with whom they were not acquainted. This entry will provide information regarding the types of sex offenders, legislation aimed at preventing new sex crimes, treatment, and myths about the sex offender population

Male sex offenders constitute a heterogeneous group of individuals whose offenses range from noncontact crimes such as exhibitionism or viewing child pornography, to contact offenses including child molestation, sexual assault, and rape. Regardless of the offense, sex offenders commit crimes for various reasons, many for nonsexual reasons. In recent years, researchers have come to understand more about the etiology of offending behavior, suggesting that many male sex offenders exhibit poor social skills and low self-esteem. In addition, researchers have created typologies to classify offenders based on common characteristics. Typologies are important because they aid in identifying people who may be predisposed to offending and to ascertain what treatment might be effective and for whom.

Discussion

Rapists

Many rapists have a negative view of women. They often identify with a hypermasculine role as well. Most rapists are classified into four distinct categories: sexual, sadistic, power, and opportunistic rapists. Most experts agree that the majority of rapes are more based on nonsexual needs than sexual ones.

Statutory rape occurs when an individual over the age of consent engages in sexual activity with someone who is a minor. The age of consent varies considerably around the world. In some countries, the age of consent is as young as 12, while in others it may be as high as 20. The global average age of consent is 16. Statutory rape laws raise interesting questions about the fine line between rape and consent. When a 16-year-old engages in sexual relations with a 17-year-old who is above the age of consent, did the older of the two take advantage of the younger?

Romeo and Juliet laws have simplified the issue. These laws serve to reduce or eliminate the criminal penalties associated with sexual relations when the only issue is the legal inability to form consent. These laws generally apply when there is a limited age difference between the two parties and the younger party is over the age of 14.

Child Molesters

Many child molesters exhibit similar characteristics to rapists. They often have low self-esteem and feelings of vulnerability and may have difficulties with adult relationships. A premise in regards to a typology involves the fixated-regressed continuum. Fixated offenders are thought to have a sexual attraction to children and suffer from what is known as a paraphilia, or persistent and intense sexually arousing fantasies or urges that involve children, or nonconsenting people, or nonhuman items and often involves suffering or humiliation. Pedophilia is the persistent and intense attraction to prepubertal children, and ephebophilia is an attraction postpubescent adolescents. Fixated offenders typically exhibit paraphilic behaviors ...