Sexual offenders : differences between those who commit offences against children and those who commit offences against adults

The objective of this study was to look into differences between those who commit sexual offences against children and those who commit sexual offences against adults. All available court sentences of sentenced male sexual offenders in Iceland from the year 2015 to 2019, were investigated, a total of 89 cases. Factors that were studied were intoxication during the offence, frequency of offence, relationship with victim and confession of offender. The results demonstrated that those who offend against children are more likely than those who offend against adults to confess in court, have a closer connection to the victim and are more likely to abuse their victim’s multiple times. However, they are less likely to be intoxicated at the time of the offence. Those who commit sexual offences against adults are therefore more likely to assault a stranger or an acquaintance, offend against their victim once, be intoxicated at the time of the offence and they are less likely to confess in court. The results of the study give an insight into the differences in the violations of these two groups, although further studies are needed to examine psychological factors of those who commit sexual offences. Keywords: Sexual abuse, frequency, intoxication, relationship with victim, confession

Author dc:creator

• Valdís María Smáradóttir 1998-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskólinn í Reykjavík

• Sálfræði
• Kynferðislegt ofbeldi
• Fíkniefni
• Þolendur
• Játningar afbrota
• Psychology
• Sexual abuse victims
• Confession (Law)

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/39323

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/39323