Female sexual abusers' cognition: a systematic review

"It was wrapped in a kind of normalcy": The lived experience and consequences in adulthood of survivors of female child sexual abuse

BACKGROUND

Survivors' surveys on the frequency of sexual offenses committed by women indicated a prevalence rate of 9.9 % to 11.6 %. Nevertheless, only a few studies have explored the long-term consequences of abuse on survivors.

OBJECTIVES

Examine the lived experiences and the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse committed by women.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen adult participants who experienced child sexual abuse conducted by female offenders participated in the study.

METHODS

The Interpretive Phenomenological Approach was applied to semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS

Three central themes emerged: types of abuse, characteristics of the perpetrator, and consequences of abuse. Most survivors experienced direct or indirect forms of sexual abuse committed by their mothers. In most cases, the offenders masked their abuse in caregiving, disciplinary or playful behavior. The survivors perceived their mothers as narcissistic, controlling, hostile, and having tremendous difficulties with separation. The survivors reported the need to engage in extensive negative long-lasting psychopathologies, which they attributed partly to having been invalidated and silenced by society. Many participants expressed fears of re-enacting the survivor or perpetrator role, which has led to difficulties in various relationships. They described an altered perception of their bodies as shameful and repulsive, manifesting in self-harm, eating disorders, and the elimination of signs of femininity.

CONCLUSION

This complex form of sexual abuse hampers the internalization and the construction of positive feminine, masculine, and parental identities.

Motivational and Cognitive Factors in Pathways to Offending Amongst Women who Have Sexually Offended

Data-driven models, addressing the internal motivations, pathways to offending, and supportive cognitions amongst women who have sexually offended have emerged in recent years, with significant consequences for understanding risk factors and developing treatment programmes. In the current research, recent empirically based models were explored in a national sample consisting of all women who had committed sexual offences and were assessed over a 12-year period (n = 28). The utility of the motivational and cognitive models tested was supported, although not all cases could be easily coded, and new categories are suggested in order to better characterize the unique aspects of sex offending amongst women who have sexually offended. Key findings included fewer women than expected who reported being coerced by a male partner, frequent conjunction between sex and intimacy needs, and a lack of a clear relationship between offence-related cognitions and motivational pathways. The results support the importance of integrating and further developing gender-specific clinical factors within a gender-neutral treatment paradigm.

Characteristics of Female Solo and Female Co-Offenders and Male Solo Sexual Offenders Against Children

Studies have highlighted differences in the victim choice, offender, and offense characteristics of female and male sexual offenders. However, little is known about how solo and co-offending females differ from solo male sexual offenders. We compared the characteristics of 20 solo and 20 co-offending females (co-offended with a male and/or female accomplice), and 40 male sexual offenders against children. We found that solo female offenders showed the most evidence of personal problems, including depression and sexual dissatisfaction. Compared with male offenders, female co-offenders showed poorer self-management, but better sexual self-regulation. Male offenders had a greater history of offending and showed more evidence of sexual abuse supportive cognitions relative to both solo and co-offending females. These results are consistent with the need for a gender-specific approach to working with sexual offenders and may have implications for understanding the often complex treatment needs of these clients.

An ecological process model of female sex offending: the role of victimization, psychological distress, and life stressors

Female sex offenders may be implicated in up to one fifth of all sex crimes committed in the United States. Despite previous research findings that suggest unique patterns of offending among female sex offenders, limited empirical research has investigated the motivations and processes involved. The present study qualitatively examined female sex offenders' offense-related experiences and characterized the internal and external factors that contributed to offending. Semi-structured interviews with 24 female sex offenders were analyzed by a team of coders with limited exposure to the existing literature using grounded theory analysis. A conceptual framework emerged representing distinctive processes for solo- and co-offending, contextualized within ecological layers of social and environmental influence. This model extends previous work by offering an example of nested vulnerabilities proximal to female sexual offending. Implications for future research, prevention, and treatment are discussed.

An Exploration of Differences Between Small Samples of Female Sex Offenders With Prepubescent Versus Postpubescent Victims

The general consensus among researchers is that the prevalence of sexual paraphilias among female sexual offenders is low relative to male sexual offenders (Cortoni & Gannon, 2013). In addition, there is very limited information about gender specific paraphilic behaviors and characteristics pertaining to females who commit sexual assaults (Pflugradt & Allen, 2014). This study examined the characteristics of female, solo sexual offenders who sexually assaulted prepubescent (n = 14) and postpubescent (n = 15) children. A content analysis was utilized to examine their psychological characteristics. Nonparametric analysis indicated that significantly more offenders with prepubescent victims had multiple paraphilias, poor cognitive problem-solving, noncompliance with supervision, and negative social influences. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Theories of cognitive distortions in sexual offending: what the current research tells us

Cognitive distortions in sex offenders are specific or general beliefs/attitudes that violate commonly accepted norms of rationality that have been shown to be associated with the onset and maintenance of sexual offending. In this article, we describe the major theories that have been formulated to explain the role of distorted cognition in initiating and maintaining sexual offending. We evaluate each theory in light of a set of theory appraisal criteria and the available empirical research. Finally, we conclude by drawing together the results of this theory evaluation process and highlight the major implications for treatment and future research.