There are plenty of explanations on why individuals commit sexual offenses. Several theories have been developed for the purpose of determining why sexual offending occurs. However, each theory has beliefs that some characteristics are more prone to sexual offending than others. Each theory has its own center of focus regarding sexual behavior, but there is not one single theory that is able to explain the etiology of sexual deviant behavior. Overall, these theories focused on physiology, psychology, psycho-social factors, and cognitive behavioral factors. According to feminist theories, rape is more of a cultural problem, rather than an individual problem. In this theory, sexual behavior symbolizes the attitudes that surround the male-female …show more content…
Most of the time, these people will have a complication forming their relationships. These people are described to be suffering from courtship disorder. People with such issues, began to experience emotional loneliness. “Numerous studies have linked feelings of loneliness to psychological factors such as low social competence, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and suicidal feelings” (Blake and Gannon, 2011, pg. 3). The feeling of loneliness leads to the perception of social isolation. These offenders start believing that there is no other way of obtaining their sexual pleasures, and that’s how their sexual deviant behavior is sparked. With such poor impulse control, there is very little knowledge of the harm that’s been caused. Another thing that must be kept in mind, is that most of these individuals hold childish emotional needs that may only worsen the wrongful relationship they got involved with, which will make them feel in control of the other individual. In cases like these, the offender ends up committing sexual offenses that end up harming their underage …show more content…
He discovered that those individuals who failed to form an attachment bond in infancy, will often lead to inappropriate bonds. According to Marshall, he and his colleagues “found in a controlled education that rapists, child molesters, and exhibitionists scored far lower on measures of intimacy and far higher measures of emotional loneliness than did a matched group of nonoffenders” (Marshall, Hudson & Hopkinton, 1993, pg.173). Consequently, insecure individuals do not have the capacity to meet the needs of love and intimacy, which leads to sexual
Witt, P., Greenfield, D., & Hiscox, S. (2008). Cognitive/behavioural approaches to the treatment adult sex offenders. Journal of Psychiatry & Law, 36(2), 245-269, retrieved from EBSCOhost
Cross-cultural research has shown that rape is most common in cultures that are dominated by males and violence. This means cultures in which males dominate the political decisions and cultures adhering to the male ideology of toughness, interpersonal violence and war (Groth 7). In a culture of people with more traditional or sexist gender role, attitudes are more tolerant of rape than are people with more nontraditional attitudes. Traditional men are more likely to report that they would commit rape if they knew they would not be caught; some researchers have found that a traditional man is much more likely to commit a rape than a nontraditional man is. Many attitudes in our culture perpetuate rape, for example: A husband is entitled to have sex with his wife," "A 'real man' never passes up a chance to have sex," and, "A women who 'leads a man on' deserves what she gets (Growth 7). “ Some media depictions may promote rape. Many movies make violence appear attractive and some movies convey myths about rape. Such as slasher films that make violence seem exciting, or movies suggesting that women like to be forced to have sex or that women's only value...
When a late adolescent or adult is primarily or exclusively attracted to a minor child sexually they become diagnosed with the psychiatric disorder pedophilia. Mostly a person is not diagnosed with this disorder unless they have had this attraction for six months or longer. This attraction can be in the form of fantasies which are sexually arousing to the perpetrator, or the urge to engage in sexual activities with a minor child. In addition, in order to be diagnosed the molester will have to have acted on these urges or suffered from some type of distress, which will be result from having these feelings. Also the molester should be at least sixteen years old with the victim being younger than them by a minimum of five years.
Many etiological theories exist attempting to explain the root causes of sexual offending. Although few provide substantial evidence and no definitive conclusions have been made, the social learning theory has been proposed to account for sex offending behaviors. Specifically, the social learning theory, or victim-to-victimizer theory, suggests sexually abused children learn these behaviors and are much more likely to perpetrate abuse when they’re older (Seto & Lalumiere, 2010). The following studies have provided substantial support for the social learning etiology. Through the use of a meta-analysis, Seto and Lalumiere (2010) concluded that sexual offending is tied to prior sexual abuse. Burton, Miller, and Shill (2002) discovered significant differences between sexual offending and nonsexual offending adolescents in the areas of sexual abuse. Lastly, Burton (2003) determined that sex offender’s methods of abuse mimicked that which was done to them. The introduction, method, results, and discussion of each study is addressed and the link between prior sexual abuse and future sex offending behaviors become apparent.
Rape Culture Many of the attitudes, beliefs, and mistaken ideas about rape have been with us for centuries. By looking at myths, such as “women ask for it,” and “it would do some women good to get raped,” from a historical perspective, leads us to better understanding how they evolved. Women are still seen as the property of men, and are protected as such. Men and women are still taught to occupy very different roles in today’s world.
Treatment approaches consist of cognitive behavioral and multisystemic therapies (Fanniff & Becker, 2006). Juveniles that are convicted of sex offenses may be placed on sex offender registry, occasionally a permanent status (Salerno, Stevenson, el al., 2010). It is unlike a sex offender to adhere to the appropriate sexual and social behaviors; thus the goal for adolescents is to understand the complex world to overcome the typical characteristics of a sex offender. This paper will consist the common characteristics of juvenile sex offenders and the treatment that are considered to be effective. Additionally, academic research is acquired that focus on offender registration and recidivism
There are various theories that can best explain certain crimes, however there is one that is best applied to the topic of sexual assault and/or crime. The rational choice theory, I believe is a theory that can best explain why a perpetrator decides to commit a sexual assault crime and/or rape. The reason why is because the rational choice theory is defined as how offenders seek to benefit themselves by their criminal behavior; that this involves the making of decisions and of choices, however rudimentary on occasion these processes might be; and that these processes exhibit a measure of rationality, albeit constrained by limits of time and ability and the availability of relevant information (Cornish & Clarke, 2014). These decisions are based on individual choices and it is not based
Biological theory is the concept that focuses on certain biological characteristics that are thought to be associated with an increased risk of engaging in criminal or deviant behavior (Bernard, Snipes & Gerould, 2010). Early biological theories tended to focus on the physical appearance as a distinguishing trait of criminals, whereas modern theories primarily argue that biology is one of many factors that contribute toward criminal behavior (Bernard, Snipes & Gerould, 2010). Early rape theorist included that of Johan Lavater, Fran’s...
Firstly, Rape culture can be defined as the normalization and excusing of sexual violent behavior towards women in everyday media and culture (marshall.edu). Rape culture can also be the over sexualization of women’s bodies and misogynistic attitudes. These images and attitudes may not seem like they are obvious or even present but they are subtly weaved into many of the symbols and daily interactions in society. This is what causes rape and rape culture to be normalized. For example, if a young woman is sexually assaulted in a club, instead of asking details about the person who committed the act, the questions are reversed onto the victim. There are questions that arise such as, “what was she wearing?”, “was she drunk?”, “was she flirting with him/her at first?”. These questions are problematic because they suggest that the victim is the one is at fault for being sexaually assaulted. This idea is pushed by the symbolic interaction that if someone is trying to get lucky the other individual has to follow through, especially in party settings. I often see this especially in music and movies where stalking and harassing a person to the point of being uncomfortable is chalked up as a heated “romantic” pursuit.. For another example, women’s bodies (and often men’s too) are oversexualized. The is especially in the advertising industry and again in the media.
Oftentimes, the things individuals take for granted as preexisting facts are merely the products of social construction, which exert tremendous impacts on belief and action. Men and women are socially constructed categories inscribed by norms of masculinity and femininity that enables rape to occur. Catharine MacKinnon claims that rape is defined in a male perspective, which lacks the account of female experience. On the other hand, Sharon Marcus argues that rape is a constructed language that scripts the female body. As bell hooks points out, black men celebrate “rape culture” as a mean of expressing patriarchal dominance and endorsing female subordination. In order to redefine rape and to develop effective rape prevention, it is crucial to deconstruct the predetermined assumptions about men and women. Rape is socially constructed, through the ways how individuals possess misogynistic ideologies and endorse patriarchal power, turning the erotic fantasy of male dominance into “reality”.
The offenders justify their actions by saying they had no control or they were forced to commit crime because of their sexual desires. The second theme is called dangerous world in which the offender falsely believes that people are hostile and will inflict pain on them. The value associated with this belief is about safety, trust, and justice. The offender is protecting himself and looking for trustworthy individuals. Children are perceived as loving and trustworthy, so they easily become the target of sexual offense.
Rape culture, a term closely associated with feminism, is used to explain how society’s values encourage male aggression and violence against women. These values, which are enforced upon individuals, are problematic because it further blurs the definition of rape, leading to rape myths. A rape myth refers to preconceived stereotypes and false beliefs regarding rape, its victims, and rapist. Rape culture is an existing issue and contributing factor to rape itself. Denying its existence has set society further from addressing and finding solutions to the bigger problems at hand.
Many of the attitudes, beliefs, and mistaken ideas about rape have been with us for centuries. By looking at myths, such as “women ask for it,” and “women secretly enjoy rape,” from a historical perspective, can lead us for better understanding how they evolved. Much stems back to the idea that women are still seen as the property of men, and are protected as such. Men and women are still taught to occupy very different roles in today’s world. Men a...
It’s even disagreeable to be agreeable Rape culture, normalized sexual aggression and violence mostly against women (Buchwald et al., 2005), is prevalent in our society. Rape culture is reflected in popular culture, news events and in day-to-day interactions. Rape culture stems from the sexual double standard and the good girl/bad girl binary among other social phenomena. It is highly problematic because it induces victim-blaming of sexual assault survivors or victims (Bolger, 2014).
This theory suggest that offenders often seek gratifying experiences to give them a sense of power. They tend to lack the respect for authority and laws. They are typically confused as to what they need to do in this world. They also think that the world is against them and that they are alone. All of these feelings are reasons why delinquents begin to act out