Exploring the Relationship between Childhood Abuse and Sadism among Sex Offenders

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

Existing literature suggests that there is a link between various forms of childhood abuse and sexually coercive behavior. Based off of these findings and using data from the administration of the Multidimensional Inventory of Development, Sex, and Aggression to a sample of sex offenders (n = 526) committed in forensic institutions, the current study's findings from a hurdle analysis of childhood physical and emotional abuse experiences and concurrent sexually deviant behavior suggest that physical abuse during childhood is linked to sadistic fantasies and behaviors among convicted sex offenders in adulthood. Implications of these results for rehabilitation are discussed.

Author

• Lisa Monique Thompson, University of Massachusetts - Lowell