There is almost a theoretical vacuum concerning the role of sexuality in sexual abuse. More knowledge regarding this factor might contribute to an understanding useful in treatment and prevention. Therefore, this study focuses on knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of sexuality in a group of 45 male adolescents who have sexually offended.
The target group consisted of 45 adolescent males with a mean age of 16.2 years who had committed sexual offences towards children, adolescents, or adults. Nine of the participants were voluntary patients at psychiatric clinics, and 36 were placed at institutions. The instruments used were semistructured interviews, a questionnaire measuring Sexual Knowledge and Beliefs together with Social Sexual Desirability, and staff-assessments.
The target group had a lower degree of sexual knowledge compared to a comparison group of 61 boys in the same age, and scored lower on a scale measuring positive attitude and orientation/openness towards sexuality. The target group was younger when they first had consensual intercourse, compared to Swedish norm data. For 40% of the boys, the first sexual experience was as a victim of sexual abuse.
Since sexuality is important in the lives of adolescents, one cannot only focus on sexuality as related to the perpetrations when treating and preventing sexual abuse.
Conflict of Interest: None disclosed
Financial Support/Funding: The study was granted by the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care
Recorded at 19th WAS World Congress for Sexual Health - Sexual Health & Rights: A Global Challenge Göteborg (Sweden) - June 21 – 25
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