What percentage of child sexual abusers were abused themselves as children?

Question

I work with an agency fighting child slavery. I need this figure in my conferences..

I'd like a correct answer by someone who has researched the issue, not just a wild guess. Thanks.

Answer 1

There is no figure, primarily as many who were abused never disclose their sexual abuse! Most sexual abuse is done by parents. step-parent's or family members, where there is a big threat to a child if they told! And the pressure usually happens when a disclosure is made! That's why many recant. Not because they weren't abused, but because they were and they are protecting someone.

Some adults who were sexually abused become an abuser, and a true pedophile might start at the age of 12 or 13, which is usually when they were abused! Some younger! Most pedophiles, non family related, usually have around 100 victims before the first time they are caught! Every pedophile I have ever talked to said they were going to do it again once released! Those are Fixated pedophiles, as A Nicholas Groth, PhD, who did most of the early work on prison populationns of pedophiles when there were but a handful of experts in the country!

There is also the regressed, and the lazy pedophile. Regressed pedophiles usually are attracted to a child in the household and family stress, or something else may end up triggering them sexually abusing a child, and often sadistically!

Any person who sexually abuses a child is a pedophile, just different kinds and usually is linked to their predisposition to do it again! The DSM IV doesn't necessarily use this criteria as they deal with Fixated pedophiles and ignore the rest. That is about the same as ignoring child deaths by abuse! Not one child in the US has Child Abuse as Cause of Death!

Many children who were sexually assaulted get involved in a family dynamic where they often set their own children up to be sexually abused.

Almost all people who are in prison for pedophilia will say they were sexually abused as kids!

Some say "Pedophiles Often Victims. On the basis of his research over the years, Abel has found that some 30 percent of pedophiles were sexually abused themselves as children. In their studies, Galynker and Cohen have come up with an even higher percentage—60 percent—versus only 4 percent of controls. Also, Cohen pointed out, "Of those who had been sexually abused as children, 30 percent reported having been sexually abused by women, which was interesting."

I think, by personal experience of investigating child abuse for 16 years, I would say it is much higher than 30%! And they don't count the victims who set their own children up for assault!

Children who are sexually abused by family are much more likely to have many more issues than someone who was raped as most have been groomed for years, and it is not a one time incident!

Beware of studies, they tend not to be accurate, just as the # of prisoner's who say they are innocent! Hopefully they are making some progress and if you need to contact someone I would try David Finklehor at the Univ of NH, who's Family Institute has been studying this issue for years. Dr Groth and and Suzanne Sgroi, Md, who wrote many of the "Bibles" of intvestigating and treating offenders are now retired I think. Finklehor is still active and there are some good literature, but they carry them for professionals and many are by Lexington Publishing, NY!

And contrary to many's opinions, fixated pedophiles are not candidates for therapy, and I would not call either homo or hetero sexual based on their victims. Most have a primary sexual attraction to children and often don't care which sex! The reason they are not candidates is simple, if you think about it. How much therapy would you say it would take to change your sexual orientation?

There is a regression therapy that holds some promise, but it means working a person all the way back through their childhood and bringing them forward! There are few who do this type of therapy and it takes sometimes a decade or more! It isn't much of an option due to expense!

When I first started investigating child abuse, juvenile offenders were seldom, if ever investigated except to see who may have assaulted them. We didn't look on them as pedophiles back then, but they were! That has changed!

Answer 2

Its true people who abuse children do it for many reasons. Many don't even have a preference for children! I standard child molester (not a pedophile) abuses children because they are easy to victimize. Think about it, small children have enough trouble expressing themselves and to tell adults they are being abused in a sexual manner is too difficult to express so that adults fully understand. Plus, children are easily controlled and not just physically but emotionally. A small child will seriously take a threat against themselves or their loved ones. They will also accept that the 'game' the abuser 'plays' with them is really just a game and not something of consequence to alert to adults.

Answer 3

On the basis of his research over the years, Abel has found that some 30 percent of pedophiles were sexually abused themselves as children. In their studies, Galynker and Cohen have come up with an even higher percentage—60 percent—versus only 4 percent of controls. Also, Cohen pointed out, "Of those who had been sexually abused as children, 30 percent reported having been sexually abused by women, which was interesting."

Answer 4

Are men who were sexually assaulted as children more likely to become child molesters?

Another myth that male victims of sexual assault face is the assumption that they will become abusers themselves. For instance, they may have heard that survivors of sexual abuse tend to repeat the cycle of abuse by abusing children themselves. Some research has shown that men who were sexually abused by men during their childhood have a greater number of sexual thoughts and fantasies about sexual contact with male children and adolescents. However, it is important to know that most male victims of child sexual abuse do not become sex offenders.

Furthermore, many male perpetrators do not have a history of child sexual abuse. Rather, sexual offenders more often grew up in families where they suffered from several other forms of abuse, such as physical and emotional. Men who assault others also have difficulty with empathy, and thus put their own needs above the needs of their victims.
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/specific/fs_male_sexual_assault.html
http://www.casanet.org/library/abuse/abuse-cycle-study.htm

Answer 5

It's said more than half..but trying to prove that is difficult, since most try to use that as defense.
But if thats the case..then exterminating those that have been while children would have cut abuse by more than half....in otherwords...eliminate the problem before it starts.

Answer 6

I bet its like 80%

Answer 7

I'm pretty sure it's most, but don't know the exact number