Child Sexual Abuse: Risk Factors and Offender Motivations

Child Sexual Abuse: Identifying High-Risk Factors

Understanding the factors that increase a child's vulnerability to sexual abuse is crucial for prevention and intervention. Several key areas contribute to a child being at high risk:

Gender-Based Risk

Traditionally, the female sex has been considered at higher risk. Various studies consistently indicate a significantly higher incidence of sexual abuse among girls, often cited as 2-3 girls for every boy, especially in cases of intrafamilial sexual abuse. This disparity is primarily attributed to the fact that most abusers are heterosexual males.

Age-Related Vulnerability

The ages of greatest risk are typically between 6-7 years and 10-12 years. Research suggests that more than twice as many cases of child sexual abuse occur during the pre-puberty stage.

Characteristics of the Child

Children at greatest risk are those with a reduced ability to resist or disclose abuse. This includes children who are non-verbal or show developmental delays, as well as those with physical or mental disabilities. Additionally, children deprived of affection within the family are highly susceptible, as they may initially be flattered by the attention they receive from an abuser.

Specific Family Situations

Certain family situations significantly increase a child's susceptibility to sexual abuse. Children who are already victims of other forms of abuse are more prone to sexual victimization. Risk factors also include the absence of biological parents, the incapacity, absence, or chronic illness of the mother, and significant marital problems. Families characterized by dominant and violent parents, or those where mothers are victims of domestic violence, also present a high-risk environment for children.

Understanding Sexual Offender Motivation

While typologies of offenders are never exhaustive, they offer valuable insights into the fundamental aspects of sexual violence. Scully's rankings, derived from in-depth interviews with a control group, distinguish five types of situations that motivate sexual offenders:

• Revenge or Punishment: Rape can satisfy a desire for revenge or punishment, directed either at a specific individual woman or against women in general.
• Opportunistic ("Added Value"): Rape may occur as an "added value" or an opportunity that arises while committing another crime.
• Means to Obtain Sex: Rape serves as a method to obtain sex when, in a given situation, the woman is unwilling.
• Power and Control: Rape can provide the opportunity to experience absolute power and control over a woman's body.
• Recreational Activity: For some men, rape may be perceived as a recreational activity or an adventure.

A critical factor in explaining the prevalence of rape, according to Scully, is that these crimes are often unreported. Characterizing rape as a "low-risk, high-yield" crime implies that the likelihood of arrest and conviction for a rapist is significantly lower compared to someone who commits a robbery, contributing to its perpetuation.