What was she thinking?1 Women who sexually offend against children − implications for probation practice
| Author | Rachel Goldhill |
| Published date | 01 December 2013 |
| Date | 01 December 2013 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0264550513502248 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice
Probation Journal
What was she
60(4) 415–424
ª The Author(s) 2013
thinking?1 Women who
Reprints and permissions:
sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0264550513502248
sexually offend against
prb.sagepub.com
children
implications
for probation practice
Rachel Goldhill
University of Portsmouth
Abstract
Female child sex abusers have tended to form a neglected area of study and the
significance for professional practice in understanding this group of offenders has only
recently achieved recognition. This article traces the burgeoning research literature on
the characteristics of women perpetrators and those they abuse and finds that the
damage caused to victims is severe, affecting every area of their lives throughout their
lives. Although there are relatively few female sex offenders in the Criminal Justice
System this article highlights that many more prisoners and probationers will have
suffered at the receiving end of this type of abuse. The implications for good practice in
probation work are discussed.
Keywords
coercion, female child sex offender, minimization/denial, professional, victims
Introduction
Amongst professionals and academics, female sex offending has traditionally been
neglected. The feminist agenda has focused almost exclusively on male sex offen-
ders and only relatively recently have there been attempts to acknowledge and
understand this group of women and their offending behaviour (Adshead et al.,
Corresponding Author:
Rachel Goldhill, University of Portsmouth, 5th Floor, St. Georges Building, 141 High Street, Portsmouth PO1
2HY, United Kingdom.
Email: rachel.goldhill@port.ac.uk
416
Probation Journal 60(4)
1994; Bunting, 2005, 2007; Denov, 2004; Nathan and Ward, 2002; Oliver,
2007; Peter, 2006, 2009; and Gannon and Rose, 2008). Limitations in the
research have arisen partly because there are small numbers of convicted female
sex offenders and partly on account of the unwillingness to recognize that a prob-
lem exists (Bunting, 2007). In this article I will be looking at the numbers of females
involved in perpetrating sexual abuse, how they have been characterized in the
research literature and finally exploring professional reactions. There will also be an
examination of the impact on victims; it is stressed that there are specific issues for
both victims and those professionals working with victims and perpetrators (Wijk-
man et al., 2010: 136). Although the therapeutic intervention options available for
perpetrators are still limited, there is important learning to be taken on board by
probation practitioners and their managers which extend beyond this particular
group of offenders.
The official statistics reveal low numbers of female sex offenders in the Criminal
Justice System. NOMS reports only 32 female sex offender prisoners (NOMS,
2007, cited by Beech et al., 2009) and a 2003 Multi-Agency Public Protection
Arrangements (MAPPA) survey notifies only 98 cases in the UK (Bunting, 2007:
260). A different picture (to those from the statutory figures) emerges through self-
report studies. Childline statistics 2005 2006 (NSPCC, 2007 cited by Gannon
and Rose, 2008: 443) reveal that 5 per cent of girls and 44 per cent of boys relate
abuse by women. One of the largest self-report studies on female child sex offenders
(Finkelhor et al., 1990, cited by Gannon and Rose, 2008: 443) used interviews car-
ried out from randomly generated telephone numbers. A history of general abuse
victimization was disclosed by 16 per cent of women and 27 per cent of men, with
17 per cent of the men and 1 per cent of the women having been abused by
females. Of particular interest for probation workers is research which used partici-
pants from a variety of backgrounds
male and female college students, general
male and female prisoners and male rapists (Adshead et al., 1994, cited by Gan-
non and Rose, 2008: 443). Considerable variations were highlighted with only 0.5
per cent of students reporting sexual abuse from women in contrast to 46 per cent of
general male prisoners and 66 per cent of rapists. Similar findings from other stud-
ies show that high percentages of rapists report childhood sexual abuse by
women
Groth reported a figure of 66 per cent in 1979, Petrovich and Templar
found 59 per cent in 1984, and Smiljanich reported 80 per cent in 1993 (all cited
in Turton, 2008: 13). Turton (2008: 13), drawing on these various studies is sug-
gesting that sexual abuse at a young age perpetrated by an older female may be
significant in future violence targeting adult women.
What then are the characteristics of these women and girls who have violated
societal and gender norms? Although female child sex offenders, like male sex
offenders have been recognized as a heterogeneous group with multiple motiva-
tions certain traits are frequently observed, many of which mirror those of other
general female offenders
victimization, coercion by male offenders and mental
health difficulties. It will be apparent in the discussion that these areas sometimes
overlap. Other recognized ’types’ in the typologies, are those of sexual predator
and teacher/lover (both types usually acting as lone offenders).
Goldhill
417
Table 1. Matthews, Hunter and Vuz’s 1997 study (cited in Hickey et al., 2008).
Females (11-18 years)
Males (11-17 years)
67 participants
70 participants
77.6% victims of sexual abuse
44.3% victims of sexual abuse
60% victims of physical abuse
44.9% victims of physical abuse
64% abused before 5 years
26% abused before 5 years
38% both male and female abusers
7% both men and women abusers
Mean of 4.5 abusers
Mean of 1.4 abusers
Victimization
Hickey et al. (2008) analyse victimization histories of female and male juveniles
who present with sexually abusive behaviours. They draw from the largest com-
parison study (Matthews et al., 1997, cited by Oliver, 2007) which shows that
although both groups include individuals who have suffered sexual victimization as
children more girls were affected by...
To continue reading
Request your trial