Background

In research and literature, little attention has been paid to the role of women, especially mothers, in child sexual abuse.

Objective

In order to estimate prevalences on mothers as perpetrators and bystanders, data was collected in a German nationwide representative survey.

Participants and setting

A total of 2,531 participants (53.3 % female, 14−94 years) were selected by a random route procedure and questioned with a paper-pencil-questionnaire.

Methods

The survey included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire as well as questions on the perpetrator-victim relationship, bystanders and the awareness within society on the topic of female-perpetrated child sexual abuse. Prevalences were calculated.

Results

The prevalence of child sexual abuse (6.6 %) as well as the proportion of female perpetrators (6.6 %) determined in the current survey were low compared to the findings of previous studies. Within the group of female perpetrators, biological mothers accounted for a larger share than biological fathers in the group of male perpetrators. Among the bystanders, the biological mother was named most frequently (24.6 %).

Conclusion

The general population underestimates the involvement of biological mothers in child sexual abuse. The results confirm that female perpetrators account for a rather small but substantial proportion of the perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Furthermore, the results indicate that mothers play a role in sexual abuse – either as perpetrators or as bystanders – that has been underestimated so far. It is therefore necessary to sensitize professionals and the public to the topic of female perpetrators and especially to the role of mothers in child sexual abuse.

中文翻译：

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母亲是儿童性虐待的肇事者和旁观者

背景

在研究和文献中，很少关注女性，尤其是母亲在儿童性虐待中的作用。

客观的

为了估计母亲作为施暴者和旁观者的患病率，在德国全国代表性调查中收集了数据。

参与者和设置

通过随机路线程序选择了总共 2,531 名参与者（53.3% 女性，14-94 岁），并用纸笔问卷进行询问。

方法

该调查包括儿童创伤问卷以及关于施暴者与受害者关系、旁观者和社会对女性实施的儿童性虐待主题的认识的问题。计算患病率。

结果

与之前的研究结果相比，本次调查确定的儿童性虐待发生率（6.6%）以及女性施暴者的比例（6.6%）较低。在女性施暴者群体中，在男性施暴者群体中，生母的比例高于生父。在旁观者中，生母被点名最多（24.6%）。

结论

一般人群低估了亲生母亲参与儿童性虐待的情况。结果证实，女性施暴者占儿童性虐待施暴者的比例相当小但相当大。此外，结果表明，母亲在性虐待中扮演的角色——无论是作为施暴者还是作为旁观者——迄今为止被低估了。因此，有必要让专业人士和公众了解女性施暴者这一话题，尤其是母亲在儿童性虐待中的作用。