Wheels of misfortune : the relationships between childhood victimisation, trauma symptoms and adolescent sexual offending

Abstract

Childhood abuse and trauma are recognised as possible causes of adolescent sexual offending. The prevalence and severity of childhood victimisation and trauma symptoms in a community sample of adolescent sexual offenders were measured and relationships and group differences between victimisation experiences, trauma symptoms, victim characteristics, sexual offence characteristics and offending severity explored. High rates of victimisation were found. Neglect (physical and/or emotional) and emotional abuse were the most prevalent abuse types reported by approximately three-quarters and two-thirds of adolescents respectively. Clinically significant trauma symptoms were reported by just under two-thirds of adolescents. Victimisation experiences and trauma symptoms were significantly associated. Of note were findings that physical neglect was significantly and uniquely related to clinically significant symptoms of PTSD and clinically significant symptoms of distress associated with sexual thoughts and feelings were significantly and uniquely related to all victimisation types. Groups of physically neglected and severely victimised adolescents and those with the highest numbers of multiple victimisations were significantly more traumatised than other groups. Victimisation experiences and trauma symptoms were significantly related to aspects of sexual offences. Adolescent sex offenders who reported sexual abuse, physical abuse or physical neglect were significantly more likely to indiscriminately select victims. Participants who reported trauma symptoms of anxiety, posttraumatic stress, sexual concerns and dissociative fantasy were significantly more likely to indiscriminately select victims and commit relatively more severe offending than non-traumatised counterparts. No significant relationships were found between victimisation experiences or trauma symptoms and the nature of the sexual offences committed or the types of coercion strategies used. The relatively high rates of trauma symptoms in this sample support a developmental trauma model. This model suggests exposure to trauma and neglect in early Iife adversely impacts on biological, cognitive and emotional development leading to deficits including emotional and behavioural dysregulation. These deficits may in turn underlie negative behaviours such as sexual offending. Implications for intervention strategies and treatment are discussed. Recommendations emphasise the need for comprehensive and standardised approaches to assessing childhood victimisation histories and trauma symptoms and in particular the importance of obtaining qualitative information about abuse and trauma to guide diagnosis and treatment.