Sexual Abuse

Individuals engaging in child sexual abuse often present pedophilic interest, but the other psychiatric morbidities among undetected users of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) are largely unknown. We mapped the psychiatric profile of 160 mainly male and primarily non-convicted anonymous Darknet-recruited adult CSAM users. The participants’ psychiatric morbidities were analyzed descriptively, and correlations between sexual pathologies known as risk factors for committing child sexual abuse (paraphilias, hypersexuality) and CSAM offense behavior (viewing time, content) were examined in a series of exploratory linear regression models. Pedophilic interests, hypersexuality, autism traits, ADHD, and depression were commonly reported. Further, hypersexuality was associated with CSAM viewing time (r = .295, b = 0.07, p = .001), zoophilic interest was associated with CSAM severity (r = .195, b = 0.46, p = .003) and both zoophilic and pedophilic sexual interest were associated with the age of the youngest child in CSAM viewed (r = −.218, b = −0.56, p = .01 and r = −.273, b = −1.01, p < .001). We conclude that CSAM users presented sexual pathologies, some related to their CSAM-use behavior, as well as multiple other mental health needs.

We developed a new measure designed to facilitate research on the potential role of men’s attitude toward sexual aggression against women in gender-based sexual violence: the Attitude toward Sexual Aggression against Women (ASAW) scale. We created a large pool of items, in which participants were asked to evaluate how bad it would be if they engaged in various sexually aggressive behaviors in a variety of scenarios. Three independent samples of men recruited from online panels (N = 380, 149, and 322) completed these items. Based on their responses, we retained 13 non-redundant items that had the most variance and covered a wide range of sexually aggressive behaviors (e.g., unwanted sexual touching; non-consensual sex), tactics (e.g., threatening to damage her reputation; using physical force), and contexts (e.g., the woman previously agreed to some sexual activity; the woman is intoxicated). An exploratory factor analysis found that all 13 ASAW items loaded strongly onto one factor, which suggests a unidimensional structure. If future research finds evidence for the construct validity of its scores, potential uses for the ASAW include risk assessment, treatment-related attitude-change, and research into the potential causal role of attitudes in sexual aggression against women.

We tested the discriminant and incremental validity of scores on the Attitude toward Sexual Aggression against Women (ASAW) scale, a self-report measure that asks men to evaluate (very bad to not at all bad) a range of sexually aggressive behaviors against women. An online panel of 647 men completed the ASAW scale and self-report measures of other offense-supportive cognitions (rape myth acceptance, cognitive distortions, and beliefs regarding rape) and sexually aggressive behavior (past sexual aggression, likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior, and likelihood to rape). We hypothesized that (a) the ASAW would be distinct from other measures of offense-supportive cognition and (b) the ASAW would be independently associated with sexual aggression after accounting for the other measures. Supportive of discriminant validity, exploratory factor analyses revealed that ASAW items clustered together to form a distinct factor from other measures of offense-supportive cognition. Supportive of incremental validity, hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that the ASAW explained an additional 5% of the variance in past sexually aggressive behavior (ΔR² = .05, p < .006) and 4–6% of the variance in likelihood of engaging in sexual aggression (ΔR² = .04–.06, p < .006) after accounting for other measures of offense-supportive cognition. If future research finds further support for the construct validity of its scores, the ASAW should be used to study the potential causal role that attitudes may play in sexual aggression against women, and whether changing them can reduce the likelihood of engaging in this type of behavior.

This research aimed to develop a typology of individuals adjudicated for child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offenses in South Korea, based on court judgments under Article 11 of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses. A total of 135 judgments from district courts (courts of first instance in South Korea) spanning 2014 to 2023 were systematically collected and examined through latent class analysis (LCA). The LCA results revealed three distinct subgroups of offenders–Versatile Sextortion, Physical Exploitation, and Coercing Younger Victims–each exhibiting unique offending profiles and behaviors. Significant differences between the groups were also found for several factors, such as the age of the victim, instances of sextortion, and the additional creation of CSEM. This study constitutes an initial empirical exploration of CSEM offenses in South Korea, provides evidence of a heterogenous group, and has substantial implications for crafting customized intervention strategies for people who commit CSEM offenses.

High rates of trauma are documented among individuals convicted of a sex offense. Public attitudes toward these individuals tend to be negative and often shape legislative responses and policies regarding sex offending sentencing and treatment. However, less is known regarding whether public attitudes may consider trauma and its relevance as a potential treatment target for those convicted of a sex offense. This study explored community member attitudes toward individuals convicted of a sex offense with histories of trauma. 295 participants were recruited via Prolific and responded to qualitative questions assessing their attitudes about the link between trauma and sex offenses, and whether trauma should influence sentencing and treatment outcomes. Analyses revealed main themes, including (1) Role of Childhood Trauma; (2) Outcomes and Management; and (3) Differences Between Individuals Convicted of Sex Offenses with versus Without Trauma History. Findings underscore the complexity of public attitudes toward this population and suggest trauma-informed interventions for those who commit sex offenses may receive public support if they also include emphasis on accountability for criminal sex behaviors. Implications highlight the need for trauma-informed interventions and public education to reduce stigma and support sex offending rehabilitation.