Differentiating Adults With Mixed Age Victims From Those Who Exclusively Sexually Assault Children or Adults

Abstract

Although adults who have sexually offended against both child and adult victims (i.e., adults with mixed aged sexual offense victims [MASOVs]) have been found at increased risk to reoffend, they have been a neglected and rarely studied group of individuals who have sexually offended. The present study explored their differentiating characteristics by comparing them with adults who had sexually offended exclusively against children (child sex offense victims [CSOVs]) or adults (adult sex offense victims [ASOVs]). Using an extensive database gathered on offenders examined for civil commitment, we found that although MASOVs were not distinguished from the other types of offenders by any specific developmental trauma, they cumulatively tended to be higher across traumas. They evidenced lower self-esteem relative to both other offender types. In addition, MASOVs, like ASOVs, exhibited higher levels of psychopathy relative to CSOVs. The implications of these findings for etiology and treatment are discussed.