Researches among the perpetrators who engaged in child sexual abuses identify unhealthy self-esteem as one among the various risk-factors in developing an abuser. The correlation between unhealthy self-esteem and abusive behaviour can be understood in three dimensions.
First of all, unhealthy self-esteem has been repeatedly identifi ed among different sex offenders (Craig et al., 2008, p. 99). Low self-esteem was found as a common factor for paedophiles, ephebophiles and rapists (Baxter et al., 1984, p. 477).
Researchers found some common features among people with low self-esteem and sex offenders: they see themselves as unattractive, expect people not to like them, seek poor quality partners, have poor relationships, lack empathy, engage in cognitive distortions, divert blame from themselves, experience frequent emotional distress and negative affect, underestimate their abilities, expect to do poorly and fail, set lower goals, are unlikely to practise scheduled tasks, readily give up adherence to a prevention programme (Marshall et al., 2005, p. 48). A longitudinal study for 4 to 6 years, among more than 200 sex offenders concluded that low self-esteem is a predictor of recidivism in sex offenders (Thornton et al., 2004, p. 587). Hanson et al. (2005) acknowledged the core predicting factor for sex offending as antisocial personality orientation (p. 1154). Usually, individuals with antisocial traits suffer from self-esteem problems, often they experience the negative side of high SE, the hubristic pride (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 764; Tracy et al., 2009, p. 196). Hence, those sex offenders cover up their powerful feelings of inadequacy with an exaggerated masculinity and protect themselves against experiencing unhealthy negative feelings (Jones, 2012, p. 226). So, lower and exaggerated SE seems to be common among sex offenders.
Secondly, distinct from other sexual offences, the difference in age between the persons involved becomes a crucial factor here. There were various empirical studies among different groups. For example a study on 690 sex offenders of different types in Grendon therapeutic prison (Shine et al., 2008, p. 51); a comparative study among four groups: child molesters, rapists, non-sex offenders and a control group of university students (Pervan& Hunter, 2007, p. 75), another study among three groups: child molesters, non-sex offenders and non-offenders (Marshall et al., 1999, p. 955; Marshall et al., 2003, p. 171), four different studies comparing child molesters and non-offenders (Marshall et al., 2005, p. 49) and a study among child sex abusers and peer sex abusers (Gunby& Woodhams, 2010, p. 47). In all the above research projects, child molesters were found to have a lower self-esteem than the other participants.
Finally, insights from the therapeutic practises for child sexual offenders further explain the correlation between sexual offenders’ self-esteem and their sexual violence towards children. Earlier the treatment for sex offenders addressed the sexual deviance directly, focusing on the behavioural interventions and cognitive interventions. Later more comprehensive treatment programmes were developed to include interventions that targeted SE as well (Harkins & Thomas-Peter, 2010, p. 434). Now, among the wide variety of treatment programmes for child sexual offenders, most of them target the self-esteem of the offender (John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2004, p. 185). Enhancement of the self-esteem and self-confidence of the offender can defi nitely break the cycle of delinquency and crime (Chou & Browne, 2010, p. 31). There have been some empirical studies acknowledging such therapeutic insights. One of such studies, conducted on 32 child molesters, concluded that the enhancement of self-esteem through treatment positively helped the molesters to overcome their deviance (Marshall et al., 1997, p. 321). Another study on non-familial child molesters concluded that treatment helped to improve their self-esteem and the improvements correlated signifi cantly with reductions in deviant arousal (Marshall, 1997, p. 86).
The above-described studies regarding various dimensions of child sexual abuse explain well the relationship between one’s unhealthy self-esteem and behaviour of child olestation. So, more attention is demanded in parenting and schooling to address a healthy development of self-esteem of an individual.
– Fr.Jo Paul Kiriyanthan