Adolescent Sex Offenders
Though offenders in any age category are mostly male (see statistics below), just like adult offenders, juvenile offenders can be either male or female. Adolescents who offend tend to stay close to home when choosing their victims. A study by Hunter (2000, p. 21) of juvenile offenders who sexually offended against children found that as many as 40% of their victims were either siblings or other relatives. Some Statistics on Adolescent Offenders: 21% of those charged with sexual assault in Canada are between the ages of 12 and 19 years of age (Children's Aid Society of Toronto, 1999, p. 32).
...adolescent sex offenders sexually abuse or sexually assault children, peers and adults because they want to. They want to because the sexual activity gives them pleasure. They may also offend because they are angry and want to hurt others. They may offend because they do not care about hurting others. They may be bored and lonely and the sexual activity relieves these feelings. They have fantasized about the offence for some time before the offence, and they will have sexual fantasies about the offence after it has occurred. These sexual fantasies propel adolescent sex offenders down the pathway to the offence. Adolescent sex offenders have a number of beliefs and thoughts that make the offence acceptable and justifies what they do. In a specific case, given the right set of circumstances the adolescent sex offender acts on his feelings and thoughts. And another victim is hurt. Gingell, 1993, p. 148 For information on treatment, adolescent sex offenders provides some interesting insight.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adolescent sex offenders in Canada commit 20% - 30% of the sexual offences. Adolescents who sexually abuse are often acting out their own victimization.| Sex Offenders | Adolescent Offenders | Female Offenders |
| Male Offenders | Incestuous Offenders | Internet Offenders |
| Child Offenders |
Sexual Abuse pages on this site:
| Sexual Abuse | Sexual Abuse Victims |
| Sexual Abuse Definition | Male Victims |
| Sexual Abuse Signs | Female Victims |
| Sexual Abuse Effects | Victims with Disability |
| Sexual Abuse Statistics | Sexual Abuse Disclosures |
Child abuse information pages on this site:
Adolescent Sex Offenders
NOTE: Information pages on this site were based on material from the 
Canadian Red Cross RespectED Training Program. Written permission was obtained to use their copyrighted material on this site.
1 Hunter, J. (2000). Understanding juvenile sex offenders: Research findings and guidelines for effective management and treatment. Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy, University of Virginia: Juvenile Forensic Evaluation Resource Center.
2 Children's Aid Society of Toronto. (1999). Communication online bulletin.
3 Worling, J. & Curwin, T. (2000, July). Adolescent sexual recidivism: Success of specialized treatment and implications for risk prediction. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24(7), 965.
4 Snyder, H. (2000, July), Sexual assault of young children as reported to law enforcement: Victim, incident, and offender characteristics. Retrived December, 2002, American Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ 312-314.
5 Zolondekk, S., Abel, G., Northy, W., & Jordon, A. (2001). The self reported behaviors of juvenile sex offenders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16(1), 73-85.
6 Rudin, M., Zalewski, C., & Bodmer-Turner, J. (1995). Characteristics of child sexual abuse victims according to perpetrator gender. Child Abuse and Neglect, 19(8), 963-973.
7 Hunter, J. (2000). Understanding juvenile sex offenders: Research findings and guidelines for effective management and treatment. Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy, University of Virginia: Juvenile Forensic Evaluation Resource Center.
8 Gingell, C. (1993). Adolescent sex offenders: "No more victims". Vancouver, B.C.: Institute on Family Violence.
