Lost Childhoods: Gender Dynamics in Cases of Child Sexual Homicides

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

An overlooked aspect of sexual homicides targeting children is how victim sex influences crime commission. Drawing from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIeID), this study used pre-crime, crime, and post-crime variables to explore this relationship. Using backwards elimination logistic regression, results indicated that when the victim is male, offenders tended towards anal intercourse, lethal beatings, and weapon use. Conversely, female victims were more likely to be strangled, aligning with the extant literature. Differences in victim-offender relationships also emerged, with male victims often being targeted by acquaintances and female victims by strangers. These findings underscore the critical role of victim sex in shaping offender behavior, emphasizing the need for tailored prevention strategies.

Author

• Kaitlin McKendrick, Simon Fraser University