The Origins of Sexual Offending

Abstract

This article proposes that the origins of sexual offending lie in the offender's experience of poor quality childhood relationships with their parents. This is said to increase their risk of being sexually abused, which in turn, feeds into the sexual fantasies they entertain, particularly during adolescence. The juvenile sexual history of sexual offenders involves high relative rates of masturbation, which becomes a preferred way of coping with stress. These high rates of masturbating, along with a lack of self-confidence in relationships, increase the likelihood that sexual fantasies will both incorporate elements of power and control and become more deviant over time. All of this is thought to create a disposition to offend that will be released only when the male's social constraints are disinhibited and he has an opportunity to offend.

Psychophysiological Response Patterns and Risky Sexual Behavior in Heterosexual and Homosexual Men

“…The relative lack of research on individual differences in sexual and affective response patterns, including psychophysiological ones, and their relationship to risky sexual practices, stands in stark contrast to other areas of sexual health research. For example, a substantial research base exists on the developmental, temperamental, and psychophysiological correlates of sexual orientation (e.g., Chivers, Rieger, Latty, & Bailey, 2004;Mustanski, Chivers, & Bailey, 2002;Sakheim, Barlow, Beck, & Abrahamson, 1985), paraphilic sexual interests (e.g., Marshall & Marshall, 2000;Seto, 2004), sexual offending and aggression (e.g., Lohr, Adams, & Davis, 1997;Patrick, Bradley, & Lang, 1993), and sexual dysfunction (e.g., Bancroft & Janssen, 2001;Basson & Brotto, 2003;Rowland, Tai, & Brummett, 2007).…”

‘I can’t forget’: Experiences of violence and disclosure in the childhoods of disabled women

“…Howe (2006) argues that it is actually the quality of attachment that determines children's risk to violence, rather than disability. Marshall and Marshall (2000) and Howe (2006) assert how secure early attachment allows growth in self-confidence and time to explore, while insecure parent-child attachments may result in weak and sporadic exploration, lack of self-confidence and increased vulnerability to violence later in life. Disabled children's constant exposure to negative scripts coupled with the absence of positive role models undermines their self-esteem and confidence to disclose the violence experienced.…”

Adult and Juvenile Sexual Offenders: The Use of Violence and Fantasies

“…Further, children from such environments may learn poor coping skills and turn to other self-soothing means (i.e., excessive sexual behaviors, exercises of power and control, masturbation, etc.) to avoid dealing with the real problems in their lives (Marshall & Marshall, 2000). It maybe assumed from the large numbers of children abused in our society (relative to the small number of sexual offenders) that the majority of children from impoverished environments do not acquire deviant sexual interests.…”

“…However, Marshall and Marshall (2000) theorize that it is this early detrimental environment that may explain the etiology of the development of deviant sexual fantasies and behaviors. Such fantasies and behaviors may be acquired and maintained through conditioning and modeling of inappropriate behaviors (Marshall & Marshall, 2000;Laws & Marshall, 1990).…”

“…Such fantasies and behaviors may be acquired and maintained through conditioning and modeling of inappropriate behaviors (Marshall & Marshall, 2000;Laws & Marshall, 1990). …”