First of all, child sexual abuse is an abusive act which may involve aggression or violence. Self-esteem has shown some correlation with aggressive behaviour in general. Conventional wisdom has regarded low self-esteem as an important cause of violence (Baumeister et al., 1996, p. 5). Different publications regarding physical abuse towards children has indicated that parental low self-esteem has consistently correlated with the physical abuse of their children (Stith et al., 2009, pp. 13–14). Some empirical studies on adolescents from different cultural backgrounds have concluded that low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behaviour and delinquency (Donnellan et al., 2005, p. 328). Low self-esteem of both husband and wife has shown a higher correlation in abusive behaviour and violence between spouses (Russell & Hulson, 1992, p. 457). In different forms of violence such as murder, assault, rape, domestic violence between partners or between parents and children, gang violence, delinquency, terrorism, war, etc., higher unstable self-esteem has been shown to play a vital role (Baumeister et al., 1996, pp. 16–26). Therefore, recent researches have updated the conventional theory as well as the modern trends by saying that not only low self-esteem but also inflated unhealthy high self-esteem and unstable self-esteem cause violence (Bushman et al., 2009, p. 427). Both extremes of selfesteem add reasons for the excessive experience of anger and unhealthy expression of aggression (Papps & O’Caroll, 1998, p. 421). Therefore, all these studies lead to the realistic conclusion that unhealthy self-esteem is strongly related to violent and aggressive behaviour.
Secondly, child sexual abuse involves a sexual act. Here an individual’s sexuality and need for sexual gratification come into play. In general, the self-esteem of an individual influences his or her sexuality as a whole and vice-versa. An empirical study of men across cultures has concluded that a significant improvement in selfesteem is positively correlated with their healthy sexual life (Althof et al., 2006, p. 521). Different kinds of sexual dysfunction are interrelated with the self-esteem of an individual (Tepper, 2000, p. 288). Any concerns about the body, as well as sex life, will influence the self-esteem of both men and women (Sanchez & Kiefer, 2007, p. 808). An empirical study of university students affirms a positive correlation between self-esteem and sexual attitudes (Bailey et al., 1987, p. 637). A study of adolescents shows that low self-esteem prompts them to develop and continue risky sexual behaviours (Shrier et al., 2001, p. 179). In short, sexuality as generally experienced is very much interrelated with the self-esteem of an individual.
Thirdly, it is an act that combines both some sort of violence and sexuality. The presence of low self-esteem was usually acknowledged by 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). But analyzing several studies among sex offenders, 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 since self-esteem is derived for them through personal gain, power and pleasure, not in a normal natural manner (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 764). Actually, antisocial people often experience the negative side of high SE, the hubristic pride (Tracy et al., 2009, p. 196). Thus, Hanson and colleagues draw attention to the other side of unhealthy self-esteem within the researches on sex offenders. 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 self-esteem seems to be common among sex offenders.
Fourthly, this sexual offence is against a particular group, namely children. As distinct from other sexual offences, along with elements of aggression and sexuality, the difference in age between the persons involved becomes a crucial factor here. In general, child molesters are commonly described as having a lack of confidence and as experiencing low self-esteem (Lievore, 2004, p. 51). 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.