ABSTRACT

Violence against children, particularly sexual violence continues to threaten South African society. Whilst severely under-reported, the perpetration of child sexual abuse (CSA) against boys and girls is a significant societal concern, underpinned by adverse childhood familial instability, childhood abuse in particular sexual abuse, violence, inequality and wider structural forces. The research base is growing, despite low disclosure rates and significant barriers to access. In order to better understand unique trajectories of perpetration of CSA, particular to the South African context, we conducted an in-depth qualitative study with twelve male child sex offenders who were attending a therapeutic, rehabilitation programme. They provided open discourse on the forms of enticement, exploitation or entrapment of child victims, including threats of harm, used to elicit compliance into sexual activities. They disclosed trauma dictated fantasy, and that they felt powerful and in control, when they sexually abused their victims. Most of the offenses took place in their own home. By delving into the strategies and mind set of the offender who sexually abuse children, this study provides evidence of a distinct and deliberate, ‘grooming process’ used by offenders; and emphasizes the cyclic patterns of offending. Understanding these truths explores its potential for the prevention of the CSA. In its entirety, the research deconstructs the strategies of the offender and examines their actual role in the onset of sexually offending behavior against children; in order to draw out the implications of these complexities for policy, practice, crime prevention, particularly in terms of the prevention of CSA.

摘要

针对儿童的暴力，尤其是性暴力继续威胁着南非社会。虽然报告严重不足，但针对男孩和女孩的儿童性虐待 (CSA) 是一个重大的社会问题，其基础是不利的儿童家庭不稳定、儿童虐待特别是性虐待、暴力、不平等和更广泛的结构性力量。尽管披露率低且获取障碍严重，但研究基础仍在增长。为了更好地了解 CSA 实施的独特轨迹，特别是在南非的背景下，我们对 12 名参加治疗和康复计划的男童性犯罪者进行了深入的定性研究。他们就引诱、剥削或诱骗儿童受害者的形式进行公开讨论，包括威胁伤害，用于引诱服从性活动。他们披露了创伤导致的幻想，并且当他们对受害者进行性虐待时，他们会感到强大和有控制力。大多数罪行发生在他们自己的家中。通过深入研究对儿童进行性虐待的罪犯的策略和思维方式，本研究提供了一个明显且蓄意的证据，罪犯使用的“修饰过程”；并强调冒犯的循环模式。了解这些事实可以探索其预防 CSA 的潜力。总的来说，该研究解构了犯罪者的策略，并检查了他们在针对儿童的性犯罪行为发生中的实际作用；为了找出这些复杂性对政策、实践、预防犯罪的影响，特别是在预防 CSA 方面。