Defining offender types
Home: Survivors: Preventing Child Abuse: Defining offender types
Offenders can be classified into sadistic and non-sadistic (Salter 1995). Sadistic offenders have a shorter offending cycle and are more likely to abduct a child not known to them. Non-sadistic offenders will frequently place themselves in positions within families/schools/community groups where they have opportunities to offend. Children are much less likely to tell if the offender is someone they and their parents know because they may like/love/trust or feel sorry for the offender.
People often ask why offenders behave in the way they do. There are no simple answers because although their methods are remarkably similar their reasons are not. Some offenders have been victims of childhood abuse themselves but they are no more likely to have been victims than anyone else in the community. Very few are mentally ill or 'sick' and many have 'normal' sexual and emotional relationships with adults. They make a choice to sexually assault. Many offenders see themselves as heterosexual including those who assault boys. Homosexual men are no more likely to sexually offend than anyone else. It is the fact that their victims are children that attracts offenders. It is the power they can wield over smaller vulnerable people that is their incentive.
The single most crucial component of child sexual assault is keeping the victim silent and ensuring the secrecy. All offenders need secrecy to assault children. Children who have experienced sexual assault often keep that secret for decades keeping the guilt and shame that offenders should feel. The single most significant thing that we can do to prevent sexual assault of children is to directly tackle this secrecy with children and young people and expose the tactic that enables offenders to offend.
If we break down the secrecy, including the taboo of informing children of the danger, then we provide children with knowledge and the most powerful weapon of all - the ability to TELL.
We can prevent sexual offenders by strengthening children and making them aware of the power that children do have. We can do this by ensuring children have both the knowledge and skills to recognise their right to be safe. Being unaware of, and lacking information about, bodies, sex and sexual assault can increase children's vulnerability to sexual offenders.
Sponsor
Disclaimer
Copyright Updated: 17 Feb 2010
The South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault acknowledges the traditional Aboriginal owners of country throughout Victoria. We pay our respects to them, their culture and their Elders past, present and future.