If I asked you what you think a perpetrator of Child Sexual Abuse looked like today, what would you answer? I encourage you to take a minute to think and answer honestly.
We’ve all heard as children and young people to be wary of the creepy man in a white van on the corner, not to take lollies from strangers, look at cute puppies, or go somewhere with a person we don’t know. We were taught that this is where the danger lies and to avoid these people at all costs and be safe. As a society, we still teach our children and young people this. We are not taught that the true danger can be in our own homes and within our support networks and institutions that represent children and young people.
We must change this misconception. How can we safeguard children and young people with incorrect information?
While there is not a typical profile of a Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrator, evidence-based research has established that perpetrators often have secure well-paying jobs, strong social networks, are considered respected in the community, and have families- including partners and children. The reality is, that there is often very little that makes a Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrator stand out. That's the point, by blending in they remain undetected to continue their abhorrent crimes.
The Australian Royal Commission of Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse identified three types of perpetrators.
Fixed, persistent perpetrators
Fixed, persistent perpetrators tend to have a long-term sexual attraction to children and young people. they are often repeat offenders, are less likely to have age-appropriate relationships and abuse multiple victims throughout their life.
Opportunistic Perpetrators
Opportunistic Perpetrators tend to be less fixated on the sexual abuse of children and young people and are more likely to be involved in other criminal behaviour they may be sexually attracted to adults, but use children and young people for sexual gratification. they are less likely to create situations to abuse, instead doing so when there is an opportunity.
Situational Perpetrators
Situational Perpetrators do not usually have a sexual preference for children and young people. they tend to sexually abuse children in response to things happening in their own lives. including adverse experiences in childhood, interpersonal relationship difficulties, and distorted beliefs that abuse is not harmful.
These can be factors but are never an excuse for harming children.
Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse are parents, siblings, family members, friends, coaches, ministers, teachers, police officers, first responders, doctors, and often other children. Offenders are the people who have a reasonable level of unrestricted access to our children and young people regularly. Who volunteer to be close to them, and have intimate knowledge of activities that children and young people participate in.
Perpetrators put themselves close to their targets to be able to begin grooming their victims into compliance. By extension, they groom the child and young person’s support network. (see my blog about Grooming for further information)
Perpetrators are put in positions of trust with their victims, and often the adult has authority over the child and young people. This causes a power imbalance. The power imbalance occurs because the child and young people are vulnerable due to age and development, emotionally, psychologically, and physically. It is the reason legislation explicitly states children cannot consent to sexual activities
According to BlueKnot.org, 96% of perpetrators are known to a child, 72% are natural parents, and only 4% are strangers. Child Sexual Predators are statistically a higher percentage of male perpetrators. The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2022, indicates 97% of offenders are male (analysing 53,570 reported cases) this of course does not mean that women cannot be perpetrators, however, it remains a male-dominated violent crime.
Some behaviours to be mindful of that sexual predators can exhibit.
They create isolation from caregivers and support networks, encourage secrets, and use fear to make their target vulnerable to manipulation.
Very patient cultivating relationships both with the families and child and young person.
Put themselves in positions of support helping out with family needs and being available to help no matter what.
They are friendly and helpful. They want to be liked and can be fun for the kids to be around, making themselves the cool and fun adults.
They will make excuses to be around the child, offering help, and activities and create opportunities to be alone with the child.
They ignore the boundaries of parents and the child and young person, making them uncomfortable.
They discourage involving adults in activities and conversations to seek isolation and exploit vulnerabilities
Create discord with parents and caregivers by ignoring boundaries and then position themselves to become a confidante to the child.
Create a sense of urgency and pressure the child or young person into following instructions while using threats and fears making it difficult to think clearly.
They prey on vulnerable children, those with low self-esteem or shyness, and children with poor relationships. Children can be confident in controlling their narrative.
They can be any age, including children themselves.
Perpetrators use this relationship to coerce, manipulate, force, and cajole children and young people into doing what it is they want and then convince or threaten them into silence.
Child Sexual Abuse Offenders are not who we have been taught them to be. The majority aren’t the strangers on the corner in the white van, that’s not to say it doesn’t happen of course. 4% of all Child Sexual Abuse is stranger-related.
I strongly believe if we change our preconceived, misinformed ideas about Child Sex Perpetrators we can establish more effective safeguarding of children and young people.
Speaking more openly about the realities and long-term adverse effects of Child Sexual Abuse, and listening to the lived expertise of Victims and Survivors who share their experiences, will make a difference in protecting our children from Child Sex predators.
It is an uncomfortable conversation, but living with the consequences hurts a lot more.
Solidarity
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