Developmental and Psychological Profile of Men Who Have Committed Sadistic Sexual Aggression against Women

The aims of the current study were twofold: (1) to identify factors that distinguish men who commit sadistic sexual aggression from those who do not; and (2) to investigate the developmental trajectories leading to sexual sadism. The study sample was composed of 206 men who had committed sexual aggression against women (69 men who had committed sadistic sexual aggression; 137 men who had committed nonsadistic sexual aggression), all of whom were incarcerated in Quebec (Canada). The Severe Sexual Sadism Scale (SESAS), an empirically validated instrument, was used to characterize the participants. Bivariate (chi 2) analyses were performed. Our results revealed that men who had committed sadistic sexual aggression against women differed from others in several respects, notably developmental (e.g., emotional and physical abuse), psychological (e.g., avoidant and narcissistic personality profiles), sexological (e.g., deviant sexual fantasies), and criminological (e.g., a structured modus operandi, use of a weapon, anal penetration). Structural equation modeling analysis identified a developmental trajectory leading to the commission of sadistic sexual aggression. Theoretical and clinical implications of our results are discussed. La pr & eacute;sente & eacute;tude avait deux objectifs : 1) d & eacute;terminer les facteurs qui distinguent les agresseurs sexuels sadiques de ceux qui ne le sont pas et 2) analyser les trajectoires d & eacute;veloppementales menant au sadisme sexuel. L'& eacute;chantillon & agrave; l'& eacute;tude & eacute;tait compos & eacute; de 206 hommes qui avaient commis des agressions sexuelles envers des femmes (69 agresseurs sexuels sadiques et 137 non sadiques), tous incarc & eacute;r & eacute;s dans la province de Qu & eacute;bec, au Canada. Les chercheurs ont utilis & eacute; l'& eacute;chelle du sadisme sexuel s & eacute;v & egrave;re (SESAS, selon l'acronyme anglais), un outil valid & eacute; empiriquement, pour caract & eacute;riser les participants. Ils ont proc & eacute;d & eacute; & agrave; des analyses bivari & eacute;es (c2). Les r & eacute;sultats ont r & eacute;v & eacute;l & eacute; que les hommes qui avaient commis une agression sexuelle sadique envers les femmes & eacute;taient diff & eacute;rents des autres & agrave; divers & eacute;gards, notamment sur le plan d & eacute;veloppemental (p. ex., violence affective et physique), psychologique (p. ex., profils de personnalit & eacute; & eacute;vitants et narcissiques), sexologique (p. ex., fantasmes sexuels d & eacute;viants) et criminologique (p. ex., modus operandi structur & eacute;, utilisation d'une arme, p & eacute;n & eacute;tration anale). L'analyse de la mod & eacute;lisation de l'& eacute;quation structurelle a & eacute;tabli une trajectoires d & eacute;veloppementale menant & agrave; la perp & eacute;tration d'agressions sexuelles sadiques. Les cons & eacute;quences th & eacute;oriques et cliniques des r & eacute;sultats sont expos & eacute;es.