From victim to offender: Characteristics of sexually abused violent and sex offenders

Abstract

Summary Introduction. Prospective studies on victims of sexual abuse and retrospective studies on offender populations have indicated a connection between experiences of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and delinquency in adulthood.Method. Using a representative sample of violent and sex offenders from the Canton of Zurich (Switzerland; N=354), the aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of offenders who have experienced CSA. Two multivariable models for CSA were generated.Results. CSA was documented for 13% of the sex offenders and 5.8% of the violent offenders. Child molesters displayed the highest prevalence rate with 18.9%. Multivariable analyses identified Swiss nationality, having stayed in a foster home and violence in the nuclear family as the strongest risk factors for CSA. In a second model, only offender characteristics from adulthood were taken into account as predictors: child molesters, offenders who prostituted themselves and repeat violent and sex offenders had a significantly higher risk of belonging to the group of offenders who had experienced CSA. Discussion. The results suggest that the experience of CSA leads to an elevated and chronic risk for committing child abuse. © Springer-Verlag 2011.