From abuse to offense: The legacy of childhood sexual abuse on the psychological functioning of men who perpetrated child sexual abuse

Sousa, Marta; Cunha, Olga; Gonçalves, Tânia; Gonçalves, Rui; de Castro Rodrigues, Andreia

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Authors

de Castro Rodrigues, Andreia

Abstract(s)

Background: Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is often considereda significant factor associated with sexual offending in adulthood.However, the specific role of this experience in the commission ofsexual offenses remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to exam-ine differences in emotional functioning (i.e. symptomatology, self-esteem) and dysfunctional thinking patterns between men convictedof CSA with and without a personal history of CSA. Participants andSetting: The sample consisted of 109 adult men found guilty of com-mitting CSA, divided into two groups: those who reported havingexperienced CSA (n = 26) and those who did not (n = 83). Methods:Participants were evaluated on several dimensions, including socio-demographic and legal variables, history of sexual, physical, and psy-chological abuse, substance use, psychopathology, aggression, self-esteem, victim empathy, and cognitive distortions. Results: Those witha history of CSA showed more psychological symptoms, greater levelsof aggression, and lower self-esteem compared to those without sucha history. They also demonstrated more distorted beliefs related tosexual drive. Conclusions: The findings highlight important implica-tions for prevention and intervention, suggesting that individuals witha history of CSA may present distinct emotional and cognitive needscompared to those without such experiences.

Keywords

Child sexual abuse Cycle of abuse Men who perpetratedchild sexual abuse Psychological functioning

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/13633

Citation

Sousa, M., Cunha, O., Gonçalves, T., Gonçalves, R. A., & de Castro Rodrigues, A. (2025). From abuse to offense: The legacy of childhood sexual abuse on the psychological functioning of men who perpetrated child sexual abuse. Victims & Offenders. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2025.2549900