Cycle of child sexual abuse: links between being a victim and becoming a perpetrator

被引:113
|
作者
Glasser, M
Kolvin, I
Campbell, D
Glasser, A
Leitch, I
Farrelly, S
机构
[1] Royal Free Hosp, Sch Med, London NW3 2QG, England
[2] UCL, London WC1E 6BT, England
[3] Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust, London, England
关键词
D O I
10.1192/bjp.179.6.482
中图分类号
R749 [精神病学];
学科分类号
100205 ;
摘要
Background There is widespread belief in a 'cycle' of child sexual abuse, but little empirical evidence for this belief. Aims To identify perpetrators of such abuse who had been victims of paedophilia and/or incest, in order to: ascertain whether subjects who had been victims become perpetrators of such abuse; compare characteristics of those who had and had not been victims; and review psychodynamic ideas thought to underlie the behaviour of perpetrators. Method Retrospective clinical case note review of 843 subjects attending a specialist forensic psychotherapy centre. Results Among 747 males the risk of being a perpetrator was positively correlated with reported sexual abuse victim experiences. The overall rate of having been a victim was 35% for perpetrators and 11% for non-perpetrators. Of the 96 females, 43% had been victims but only one was a perpetrator. A high percentage of male subjects abused in childhood by a female relative became perpetrators. Having been a victim was a strong predictor of becoming a perpetrator, as was an index of parental loss in childhood. Conclusions The data support the notion of a victim-to-victimiser cycle in a minority of male perpetrators but not among the female victims studied. Sexual abuse by a female in childhood may be a risk factor for a cycle of abuse in males. Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.
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页码:482 / 494
页数:13
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