PanoramaPsychology

There is a wider myth such as all child sex abusers are paedophiles, which is not true. Based on the motivation of the abuser, these offenders can be divided into ‘preferential offenders’ and ‘situational offenders’. Preferential offenders have a mental predisposition for sexual interaction with children. But situational offenders do not have any such preferences and will engage in the sexual exploitation of children when a possible situation arises, i.e. when children are easy to access and control (Interagency Working Group on Sexual Exploitation of Children, 2016, p. 85). Some studies rename preferential offenders as ‘fixated’ and situational of- fenders as ‘regressed’ (Proeve, Malvaso, & Del Fabbro, 2016, p. 24).

‘Fixated-preferential offenders’ gener- ally have a compulsive attraction to children dating back to adolescence (Proeve et al., 2016, pp. 24-25). They are intelligent and usually have a high socio-economic status. They generally script their act of abuse well with ‘grooming or a seduction process that includes attention, affection and gifts. For them sexual abuse is a compulsive act and they consider it a need. Some of them exhibit paraphilias like paedophilia, voyeurism and sadism (Lanning, 2010, p. 33). Paraphilias refer to deviated forms of sexual behaviour that are necessary for sexual arousal in some individuals (Thibaut et al., 2016, p. 3). Paedophilia is a paraphilic disorder with recurrent and intense sexual arousal fanta- sies, urges or behaviour involving sexual activity towards a prepubescent child or children generally aged 13 or younger (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 697). Recent studies identify two more categories: ‘hebephiles’, i.e. a sexual preference for children in the early to mid stages of pubertal development, 11-14 years of age and ‘ephebophiles’, i.e. a preference for older adolescent children, 15-18 years of age (Interagency Working Group on Sexual Exploitation of Children, 2016, pp. 86-87). However, although 50% of offenders experienced some paraphilic urge, fantasy or behaviour in the course of time, the diagnosable presence of other paraphilias, except paedophilia, is very low among child sex offenders (Smallbone & Wortley, 2004, pp. 181 & 184).

The other group, re gressed-situational offenders, are less pathological and usually begin such sexual tendencies as adults in response to stressors (Proeve, Malvaso, & DelFab- bro, 2016, p. 25). They are comparatively less intelligent and will usually have a low socio-economic status. They commonly have low SE, poor coping skills and low social competence. The child victim is just a substitute for the preferred peer sex partner. For them sex- ual abuse is an impulsive act. Availability and vulnerability
are the main victim criteria and the risk involved is a concern for them. Therefore they will have comparatively fewer victims. Abuse can be a spontaneous act and they rarely plan it. Per- sonality disorders like antisocial behaviour (criminals with no feeling of guilt over harm done to others), narcissism (exagger- ated self-importance, controlling behaviour and arrogance) and schizoid personality (social misfit, withdrawn personality, loneliness and lack of peer friends) are common among these offenders (Lanning, 2010, pp. 33-37).

This typology places sex offenders on a motivational continuum of situational to preferential rather than strictly separating them into two entirely different categories. They are not mutually exclusive. There can sometimes be multiple moti- vations in both types. However, preferential offenders are more deviant and pathological than situational offenders (Lanning, 2010, pp. 33-35).

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