An Exploratory Study of Internet-Initiated Sexual Offenses and the Chat Room Sex Offender: Has the Internet Enabled a New Typology of Sex Offender?

Abstract

This exploratory study examined 51 participants convicted of an Internet-initiated sex offense in which they attempted to entice an adolescent into a sexual relationship using an Internet chat room. All participants were convicted of a sex offense and subject to an evaluation as a part of sentencing requirements in Colorado. Clinical and behavioral data were obtained from each subject's offense-specific evaluation and chat room transcripts. The results of the study found that 90% of the participants were apprehended as a result of an Internet sex sting. The authors conclude that Internet chat room sex offenders constitute a separate group characterized by less severe criminogenic factors than other sex offenders (rapists, child molesters). It can be hypothesized that chat room sex offenders avoid relationships and spend a significant amount of time in online chat rooms as a primary social and sexual outlet, and engage in other sexually compulsive behaviors. Within this offender group, it was discovered that two subgroups exist: a contact-driven group motivated to engage in offline sexual behavior with an adolescent and a fantasy-driven group motivated to engage an adolescent in online cybersex without an express intent to meet offline. The chat room sex offender presents a significant clinical issue to treatment providers as a live victim does not exist. Thus, it is unclear if Internet sex stings prevent incidents of child sexual exploitation and may result in convictions of individuals who may never have abused a child. The data suggest a tentative sex offender typology, including subtypes, which need to be replicated in future studies.

“Under His Spell”: Victims’ Perspectives of Being Groomed Online

“…This finding is consistent with existing literature which recognizes variation in grooming periods [29]. Furthermore, the fact less than half of the victims in this study met with their offenders offline, is supportive of the notion that not all offenders are contact driven [1].…”

“…Social media and portable technology has contributed to young people becoming accessible to sexual abusers on a scale never known before [1][2][3][4]. While child sexual abuse has long existed and still exists offline [5], the Internet has altered the way in which abuse can be carried out.…”

“…Manipulation techniques utilized during the grooming process can vary considerably [1] and are likely to incorporate both physical and psychological grooming to sexualize the child [7,15]. The process often involves one or several of the following tactics: flattery, blackmail, threats, sexualized games, deception or bribery [4,[16][17][18].…”

Using Internet Artifacts to Profile a Child Pornography Suspect

“…The vast majority of the same-sex pornography sites (Gay Porn) contained references to teen boys. This preference was consistent with the classification of a sexual deviance with online paraphilia centered on adolescent males 1 . In addition, the percentage of websites visited that were classified as Child Porn (10.8%), Gay Porn (10.5%) and Picture/Profile (3.4%) provided support that this behavior was preferential.…”

De la pornographie légale à l’agression sexuelle

“…Ce sont les mêmes services de clavardage utilisés pour discuter avec les complices qui seront utilisés pour faciliter la recherche de personnes susceptibles de répondre à des avances sexuelles (End child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes [ECPAT], 2002 ;Fortin et Lanthier, 2013 ;Fortin et Lapointe, 2002). Dans le cadre de la présente étude, la sollicitation sexuelle d'enfant au moyen d'Internet (leurre) a été positionnée à mi-chemin entre la pornographie juvénile et l'agression sexuelle, puisque la documentation scientifique laisse supposer que certains individus entretiendront des relations avec des adolescents dans un contexte fait uniquement de fantaisies sexuelles (Briggs, Simon et Simonsen, 2011 ;DeHart et al, 2016). Il y aurait donc nombre d'individus qui continueraient à entretenir des fantasmes en interagissant directement avec l'objet de leur désir, tout en ne passant pas à l'acte.…”