Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse – characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a subsample of 24 young females aged 8–16 years who were referred to specialist services in England during the 1990s because of their abusive sexual behaviours. The characteristics, backgrounds and behaviours of the sample are summarized and compared both with the males in the total population studied and with findings from the limited international literature on young female sexual abusers. Key findings include the higher rates of sexual victimization amongst females, their lack of prior criminal convictions, their somewhat younger ages at referral and their fewer victims. A smaller selection of case studies is used to illustrate the range of circumstances and behaviours leading to referral. Follow‐up interviews with two female ex service users, who are now in young adulthood, indicate that their childhood sexually abusive behaviour is more a marker of vulnerability than of risk of abusive behaviour in adulthood. Their struggles now as parents, in adult relationships and their ongoing health difficulties are outlined.

The Same but Different? Exploring the Links between Gender, Trauma, Sexual Exploitation and Harmful Sexual Behaviours

“…Masson et al . () suggest that low identification of girls displaying HSB may be related to social norms around gender which cast girls and young women as victims, making any harmful or abusive behaviour more difficult to recognise.…”

“…At the same time, both CSE and HSB are associated with high levels of prior trauma and abuse experiences (O'Neill, ; Hackett et al ., ; Almond et al ., ). In the case of HSB, the association between HSB and prior and ongoing abuse may be even stronger for girls displaying HSB than it is for boys (see, for example, Masson et al ., .) So, while traditionally these two areas exist as separate fields of understanding and practice, there are similarities in the framing of the issues involved and in the various themes from research and literature.…”

Experiences of Young People with Harmful Sexual Behaviors in Services: A Qualitative Study

“…Details about our methods have been reported elsewhere (Hackett, Masson, Phillips & Balfe, 2015) so for space reasons we will only briefly recap them here. As part of a United Kingdom Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant (reference RES-062023-0850), we collected data from nine services in England and Wales in the UK offering help to children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours.…”

Community Reactions to Young People Who Have Sexually Abused and Their Families: A Shotgun Blast, Not a Rifle Shot

“…Those with a level of learning disability are overrepresented in this population and, depending on the study cited, between 30% and 65% of those referred have themselves experienced sexual abuse or other non‐sexual victimisation. Females comprise a very small proportion of referrals and they typically come from especially dysfunctional and often abusive family backgrounds (Masson and others, ). In common with other young people in trouble who typically' grow out' of their delinquent behaviour, it is now acknowledged that most young sexual abusers do not go on to commit further sexual offences, especially when offered appropriate interventions (Hackett and others, ).…”