Public Perception of Sexual Offence: A Comparison

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cody Sebben
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Personal Injury ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Specific Factors

Studies show that, given the opportunity, most people would punish perpetrators of sexual assault more severely than those who commit other personal injury offences (Roberts, 1990). This study will attempt to explain why most people would prescribe harsher punishment to sexual offenders. Participants will take part in answering one of two questionnaires for the purpose of data collection, each with control variables. It is hypothesized that specific factors play a role in the belief that sexual offenders are a greater threat to individual and public safety than other offenders. These hypothesized factors include: risk to individual and public safety, lack of understanding with regard to sexual offences, belief that the offender has a greater likelihood to reoffend than non sexual offenders, and perception that treatment for sexual offending is not effective. Results from the study are anticipated to help explain why sexual offences are often thought to be more deserving of punishment than most other offences. It is anticipated that results will assist in providing a more complete understanding of sexual offences, both in public perception and in treatment.

Preventative Services for Sexual Offenders

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyne Piché ◽  
Jeffrey Mathesius ◽  
Patrick Lussier ◽  
Anton Schweighofer
Keyword(s):  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Group Treatment ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
The Past ◽  
Preventative Interventions ◽  
Preventative Services

The role of primary prevention of sexual offences is an understudied area. The current study examined a sample ( N = 100) of men charged or convicted of a sexual offence to determine their interest in interventions that could be offered prior to offending, reasons for not seeking out interventions in the past, and demographic information including onset of deviant sexual fantasy and interests. The majority indicated that preventative interventions, including individual and group treatment, would have been beneficial, but inaccessibility of interventions and fear of arrest prevented them from seeking services. The findings suggest that men who progress to committing a sexual offence are interested in preventative interventions but require information regarding availability of accessible support and the development of primary prevention structures to fulfill society’s desire to prevent sexual offending.

scholarly journals When Misconduct in Public Office is Really a Sexual Offence

2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-302
Author(s):  
Catarina Sjölin ◽  
Helen Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Sexual Misconduct ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Public Office ◽  
Varied Range ◽  
The Common ◽  
Sexual Offences Act 2003

Misconduct in Public Office (MiPO) covers a wide and varied range of conduct. Beyond the defendant’s public office, there is no unifying conduct or result. A conviction for MiPO could represent putting pressure on a council official to move the route of a proposed road, or a police officer abusing his/her position for sexual gain. Sexual misconduct prosecuted as MiPO falls outside the usual regime for prosecuting and sentencing sexual offences, both obscuring the conduct by the label of MiPO and avoiding sexual offence specific consequences. To examine what kind of sexual offending MiPO has been covering, we analysed newspaper reports and appellate decisions since 2002. This enabled us to identify the conduct MiPO was being used to cover at charge, plea and conviction (or acquittal) stages. We found a significant amount of sexual misconduct being prosecuted as MiPO. We then analysed the sexual conduct to determine the “wrongs” involved, identifying particular categories. This enabled us to propose a new sexual offence (based on the Sexual Offences Act 2003 offences that are not founded on lack of consent), which marks the sexual wrong and enables a focus on the defendant’s abuse of position rather than the victim’s vulnerability. This article outlines the basis for our proposal to the Law Commission for reform of the common law offence of MiPO (as our second response to their consultations). Currently at the stage of Policy Development, the Commission aims to publish its report later this year.

Marriage: A Get Out of Jail Free Card?

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-190
Author(s):  
Siane Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Intimate Relationships ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human

Abstract Marital rape is a particularly heinous form of sexual violence that occurs within intimate relationships. However, throughout much of the world, the marriage contract affords legal immunity to marital partners who would otherwise be convicted as sexual offenders. By reviewing the laws of the Commonwealth jurisdictions, this research highlights the necessity for reform in many jurisdictions that continue to allow for marital exemptions to sexual offending. This review identified three main forms of marital exemption, that is the general marital exemption to the primary sexual offence, the creation of spousal-specific sexual offences, and the use of marital exemptions to remove or reduce liability for sexual offences involving minors. The operation of these marital exemptions is then considered in the context of international human rights law and its prohibition on sexual violence within intimate relationships. An analysis of the jurisprudence surrounding Article 2 of CEDAW, Article 19 of the CRC and the prohibition of torture informs the argument that international human rights law requires the prohibition of marital exemptions to sexual offending throughout the Commonwealth nations. Marital exemptions continue to afford sexual offending with impunity across many Commonwealth jurisdictions in breach of the international human rights obligations of those nations and reform should occur in order to uphold the rights of sexual violence survivors.

scholarly journals Victim Age Polymorphism In Stranger Serial Sexual Offences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skye Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Forensic Psychology ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Recidivism Rates ◽  
Deviant Arousal ◽  
Area Of Study

Victim age polymorphism describes a subset of serial sexual offenders who offend against victims from multiple age groups (Guay, Proulx, Cusson, & Ouimet, 2001). Research on victim age polymorphism is an important area of study as polymorphic offenders have been found to have high recidivism rates (Parent, Guay, & Knight, 2011). The current study provided an exploration of polymorphism in 72 sexual offenders who committed 361 stranger offences. Polymorphism occurred in 36% of offenders’ sexual offence series, with the majority of polymorphic offenders victimizing minors aged 11 to 14. In comparison to age specific offenders, polymorphic offenders were found to be a) younger at the start of their sexual offence series, b) more opportunistic, c) less concerned with victim characteristic, d) more likely to be antisocial, and e) a trend was observed that suggested they were more likely to show deviant arousal to rape. These results will be discussed within the contexts of Investigative and Forensic Psychology.

Reoffending among child sexual offenders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Dowling ◽  
Anthony Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Indigenous Status ◽  
Child Sexual Assault ◽  
Male Offenders ◽  
South Wales ◽  
History Of ◽  
Child Sexual Offenders

This study examines reoffending among 1,092 male offenders proceeded against for a child sexual offence in New South Wales between 2004 and 2013, including 863 child sexual assault offenders, 196 child abuse material offenders and 33 procurement/ grooming offenders. Seven percent of child sexual offenders sexually reoffended within 10 years of their first police proceeding for a child sexual offence, while 42 percent non-sexually reoffended. Risk of sexual and non-sexual reoffending was highest in the first two years. Child sexual assault offenders were the most likely to reoffend non-sexually, while procurement/grooming offenders were the most likely to reoffend sexually. There was evidence of transition to other sexual offence types, but this varied between groups. Indigenous status, history of offending and the number of child sexual offences emerged as important predictors of reoffending, although risk profiles varied between offender types.

scholarly journals Should the use of an alternative trial process preclude referral back to the criminal justice system? Consideration of one aspect of the Law Commission's proposal for trial process reform in cases of sexual offending

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sophie Macaulay
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Criminal Justice System ◽  
Restorative Justice ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Sexual Offence ◽  
Trial Process ◽  
Alternative Process ◽  
Justice Process

<p>In its recent Issues Paper, Alternative Pre-Trial and Trial Processes: Possible Reforms, the New Zealand Law Commission proposed to make available some form of restorative justice process as a complete alternative to the criminal justice system in certain sexual offence cases. It also proposed that where an offender participates in an alternative process in good faith and fulfils all undertakings, the case cannot be referred back to the criminal justice system. This paper considers situations where alternative trial processes should be referred back to the criminal justice system and what should happen to material disclosed during the alternative process if referral occurs.  If restorative processes are to be used as a complete alternative to the criminal justice system, there must a “public safety override” which prioritises public safety over victim autonomy. This override will be applied by restorative justice providers, who will have the ability to refer cases back to the criminal justice system. If referral does occur, the content of the restorative proceedings should be privileged, and that privilege should belong to the offender. The fact of the offender’s agreement to participate should also be privileged.</p>

Female sex offenders

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gill McIvor
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Small Proportion ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Female Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Assessment And Treatment

Women represent a small proportion of offenders convicted of sexual offences, and a small proportion of imprisoned women have been sentenced for offences of this kind. This essay begins with a discussion of the nature of female sexual offending, including the number and types of offences, the characteristics of victims, and the level of co-offending with men. It then considers the characteristics and emerging typologies of female sexual offenders. Theoretical approaches to female sexual offending are discussed, with particular attention to the relevance of theories of male sexual offending to sexual offending by women and theoretical developments that focus on women. The implications for assessment and treatment of female sex offenders are considered. Given its increasing role in relation to sexual offending more generally, the role of new technology—particularly the Internet—in facilitating female sexual abuse is explored.

scholarly journals Sexual Imagery and Sexual Fantasies of Sex Offenders

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-31
Author(s):  
D. Pappalardo ◽  
◽  
F. Assumma ◽  
R. Rossi ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Sexual Fantasies ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Sexual Imagery ◽  
Hand Search ◽  
Offending Behavior ◽  
The Erotic

Objective: Sexual fantasy is considered an important factor in sexual offending behavior, therefore the purpose of this review consists of analyzing the main literature findings regarding these topics, focusing on the contents, themes, dynamics, etiopathogenesis and potential functions of fantasy in sexual offenders. Design and Method: A systematic search of scientific articles published in the lasts 10 years was performed using PsychInfo and Pubmed, supplemented with hand search of reference lists from retrieved papers. Results: According to the existing researches the role of sexual fantasies as well as the erotic imagery is multifaceted and interrelated with several factors associated with the sex offence. Conclusions: A deeper understanding of the influence of the erotic imagery to the sexual offences is important for practitioners who work in the psychological, forensic and sexological fields. Therefore, further accurate studies are necessary to help advanced clinical diagnosis and treatments.

The Function of Sexual Fantasies for Sexual Offenders: A Preliminary Model

2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dion Gee ◽  
Tony Ward ◽  
Lynne Eccleston
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Sexual Fantasy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Preliminary Model ◽  
Data Driven Approach

AbstractAlthough the content of sexual fantasy has been extensively researched, very little contemporary research has investigated the function of sexual fantasy within the context of offending. In this study, a qualitative analysis was used to develop a descriptive model of the phenomena of sexual fantasy during the offence process. Twenty-four adult males convicted of sexual offences provided detailed retrospective descriptions of their thoughts, emotions and behaviours before, during and after their offences. A data-driven approach to model development (grounded theory) was undertaken to analyse the interview transcripts. A preliminary model was developed to elucidate the function of sexual fantasy in the process of sexual offending, as well as the physiological and psychological variables associated with it. The sexual fantasy function model (SFFM) comprises four categories that describe the various functions of sexual fantasy in the offence process. These categories are affect regulation, sexual arousal, coping, and modelling. The strengths of the SFFM are discussed and its clinical implications are reviewed. Finally, the limitations of the study are presented, and future research directions discussed.

scholarly journals Alcohol Consumption among Sexual Offenders in the Context of Analysis of Forensic Psychiatric Assessments.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dariusz Juszczak ◽  
Krzysztof Korzeniewski ◽  
Piotr Oglaza ◽  
Ewelina Puchalska-Reglińska
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Personality Disorders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Sexual Offences ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
History Of ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric

Introduction: The association of alcohol use with committing sexual offences is well established. However, there are still gaps in knowledge about the mechanisms which lead to alcohol overuse and related sexual violence occurring under the influence of alcohol among this group of perpetrators. Goal: The goal of this paper is to describe characteristics of perpetrators of sexual offences with regards to their self-declared alcohol use status: “overusing” – declaring overusing alcohol, “not-overusing” – declaring not overusing alcohol, and “abstaining” – declaring abstinence from alcohol. Material and Methods: Material for this study consisted of 180 individual forensic psychiatric reports issued by the experts from the Mental Health Clinic at the 10th Military Clinical Hospital in Bydgoszcz. The reports were reviewed by the study authors. Relevant data from was extracted using the survey tool developed for the purpose of this study: “Survey of Factors Determining Sexual Criminal Behaviour” Results: Statistically significant associations between several studied variables were noted and presented in table format, see tables 1-3 for details. Conclusions: Disinhibiting effect of alcohol on sexual offending is associated with coexisting personality disorders and organic personality disorders. Perpetrators of sexual offences overusing alcohol are characterized by poor levels of social functioning and personal history of being raised in dysfunctional families with alcohol problems.

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