Journal of Interpersonal Violence

The findings from this exploratory study are reported in terms of the descriptive background characteristics of 36 sexual murderers, their behaviors and experiences in connection with their developmental stages, and the central role of sadistic fantasy and critical cognitive structures that support the act of sexual murder. A five-phase motivational model is presented: (1) ineffective social environment, (2) formative events, (3) critical personal traits and cognitive mapping process, (4) action toward others and self, and (5) feedback filter.

In comparing sexual murderers with a history of sex abuse (n = 12) with murderers without such a history (n = 16), findings that approach a level of significance between early sexual abuse and sexual deviations include zoophilia (.06) and sexual sadism (.07) with the ultimate expression of the murderer's perversion being the mutilation of the victim. Murderers with sexual abuse histories report fantasizing about rape earlier than murderers without sexual abuse histories (.05) and report aversion to peer sex in adolescence and adulthood (.05). Significant differences in behavioral indicators comparing across developmental levels of childhood include cruelty to animals (.05), and differences approaching significance include isolation (.09), convulsions (.09), cruelty to children (.09) and assaultive to adults (.09). Significant differences in adolescence between murderers with child sexual abuse history versus nonhistory include running away (.01), sleep problems (.05), daydreams (.05), rebellious (.05), assaultive to adults (.05), and indicators approaching significance include temper tantrums (.09) and self-mutilation (.09).

The study of crime scene profiling efforts elicits two important patterns of sexual murders: organized and disorganized. These law enforcement categories have been derived from evidence and patterns of evidence at the site of sexual murders. The study then explores victim information and its relationship to the two categories. In particular, we explored victim response to the offender in terms of no resistance and active resistance to the assault. We found that regardless of type of resistance, active or passive, and category of offender, death ensued. When we examined nine victims who survived, the category of offender was not the predictor, rather, “chance happenings” preserved life.

This research reports on open-ended interviews with 20 sexually abused girls on their knowledge of sexuality and child sexual abuse. Most received little or no information from parents or the schools on these subjects. The few who received warnings about molestation were unable to connect the warnings to the perpetrator's behavior. Sex education and sex abuse education of children appear necessary. The results of this study suggest that children are likely to benefit if they are provided with concrete, specific information beginning at a very early age. Programs to prevent the development of sexually abusive behaviors in the first place are needed for a more complete preventive effort.

A questionnaire examining childhood history of sexual abuse and later (adolescent) behaviors was administered to a sample of 278 undergraduate women. Subjects with a history of sexual abuse were more likely than their nonabused peers to report “delinquent” teenage behaviors in four categories: school problems, conflict with authority, early sexual behavior, and eating problems. The functional aspects of such behaviors in abuse victims are explored, both in terms of escape from jeopardy and as a “cry for help.” It is suggested that problem behaviors in adolescents be considered potential evidence of ongoing or previous abuse.

This article examines the role of the police in cases of elder abuse. This study of police involvement grew out of an earlier study conducted in 1981 by the Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology. This study analyzed 77 cases of elder abuse reported by medical and social service providers in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Analysis of these cases suggested that there was a lack of involvement of the police in elder abuse cases. These observations were confirmed in interviews with the two supervisors of the only Adult Protective Services units in Wayne County (Detroit), along with an analysis of a random sample of 75 of the 360 cases reported to the Adult Protective Services division of Wayne County Department of Social Services in 1983. Case examples and reasons why the Adult Protective Services (APS) workers do not refer elder abuse cases to the police are discussed.

The small literature on marital rape has placed much theoretical weight on the generalization that marital rape rarely occurs within otherwise nonviolent marriages. However, most existing estimates of the prevalence of marital rape have been essentially by-products of research on other problems, without having directly sought marital rape victims per se. Employing an unusually wide range of case-finding strategies to identify marital rape victims, this study does also sustain that central generalization and critically explores several of its varied implications.

With increased attention being paid to the problem of male to female spouse abuse, the importance of understanding abuser characteristics is growing. Although violence abatement programs are developing, it has been observed clinically that abusers frequently fail to volunteer for such treatment when it is available. In an initial study, religious affiliation and history of abuse as a child predicted volunteering for treatment, but not following through. In a second replication study, both history of abuse and having witnessed maternal abuse predicted volunteering, and following through on accepting treatment. When both groups were combined, history of abuse as a child predicted both volunteering and following through on treatment for violence abatement. Witnessing of maternal abuse was marginally related to volunteering and following through on treatment acceptance. These results are discussed in terms of setting programmatic and social policy for motivating spouse abusers to accept treatment.

Having incest offenders reunite with their families is a complex process that may conflict with other goals, such as minimizing the likelihood of reoffense or helping primary and secondary victims recover from the trauma of the sexual abuse. A step-by-step procedure is presented for anticipating potential problems in the reunification process and suggesting specific ways to manage them.