Compare And Contrast Situational Child Molesters

McIlwaine (1994) states that there are two categories of child molesters recognized by the FBI, which are the situational child molester and the preferential child molester. Therefore this paper, will examine the differences and similarities between these two categories.
Holmes and Holmes (1996) state situational child molesters are broken down even further into four categories: regressed: meaning they molest children out of opportunity or for their lack of adult relationships. Morally Indiscriminate:, abusing and molesting children for their own benefits, sexually indiscriminate: implying the want to experiment sexually or out of boredom and the child is available and inadequate in this approach the offender has a sense of hopelessness, they believe that they cannot maintain a normal relationship with an adult, they are very insecure and show signs of low self-esteem (Holmes, 1996). Preferential child molesters have three categories seductive, which over time the offender will seduce them by buying them gifts making them

feel loved and having a special bond with them, fixated where they prefer children rather than adults and sadistic where perpetrators are violent, aggressive and seek excitement out of violence and engaging in the explicit behaviors usually with strangers (Holmes, 1996).
Situational child molesters do not show signs of having a sexual preference for children, they are engaging in these actions for many different reasons not just limited to the age of the victim.

Unlike preferential child molesters who do have a distinct and true attraction and fixation for children. Preferential child molesters fantasize and engage in these behaviors because they are physically engrossed and their fantasies are only about children (McIlwaine, 1994). When dealing with number of victims situational child molesters often tend to have a low number of victims, in most cases a family member engaging in these behaviors out of stress or other issues not simply because of the attraction to a child. Preferential child molesters have many more victims than situational child molesters. Situational child molesters are less predictable than preferential molesters who are highly predictable engaging in high risk behaviors (McIlwaine,

1994).
In conclusion as we have learned there are many differences in situational and preferential child molesters, either type are predators and are dangerous to our society, by dividing them into these categories helps researchers to understand and learn more about them, and to aid in the prevention of these heinous acts against children.
References:
Mcllwaine, B. (1994). The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. In Interrogating child molesters (63-6 ed., p. 1).
TYPOLOGIES OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSERS. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2014, from http://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2004_02_27_JohnJay/LitReview/1_4_JJ_TypologiesOf.pdf