Podcast Reflection: Do Women Do Those Things? In this episode of “Beyond Fear” guest Dr. Alexa Sardina discusses her work with female sexual offenders and common misconceptions about sexual abuse committed by women. Dr. Sardina addresses the fact that little is known about female sex offenders, which account for ten percent of the sex offender population. Dr. Sardina believes that there are more female sexual offenders than represented in this percentage, but that women abusers go unnoticed for a variety of reasons. Predominately because our society views women as maternal and nurturing, this allows women offenders to hide their sexual abuse under the guise of performing childcare. Furthermore, our society deems sexual abuse perpetrated by females as not as detrimental as sexual abuse perpetrated by male offenders. This makes it difficult to criminally convict women found guilty of committing sexual offenses (Ackerman & Sardina, 2020). Although we still lack information on female offenders, Dr. Sardina explained what research has found on this population. Dr. Sardina stated that the majority of women abusers …show more content…
This episode often left me, at times, in complete shock. As mentioned in the podcast, when I thought of female predators, the image of teachers came to mind like Mary Kay Letourneau and Debra LaFave who had engaged in solo sexual relationships with young male middle school students. I was completely unaware that the vast majority of female offenders commit sexual crimes with a male partner. Upon reflection, this co-offending relationship is understandable as these women seemingly depend on or are seeking validation from their male partners. Research found that most female offenders in co-offending relationships have substance abuse disorders and therefore are dependent on the male partner for their living situation (Fresh Essays,
A sexual offender has a greater propensity to commit repeat offenses as compared to other felony offenses (FindLaw, n.d.). A concerning fact referencing sexual offenses reveals that nearly seventy-five percent of victims of sexual assault are juveniles. This was the leading reason for the passing of the law cited as Megan’s Law in 1996 by the federal government. The sex offender registry allows the community to view the sex offenders in their community making them aware of who to be mindful of. The event leading up to the passing of Megan’s law may not have been prevented with the registry act, conversely, it could have alert the child’s parents to be more mindful when allowing to play outside.
As discussed in the article, “Female Sexual Offenders” by Witt & Pirelli (2016) women sexual offending typically occurs due to a combination of major risk factors such as: current emotional state, especially in the context of depressive symptoms; Low self-esteem; Lack of assertiveness and associated exaggerated need for intimacy (especially if a male confederate coerced the woman into committing the offense); Antisocial attitudes; Presence of psychiatric symptoms; Unsupervised access to minors, especially in a supervisory capacity; Use of sex to regulate negative emotions; Social isolation and attendant loneliness; and Unresolved emotions about personal victimization. (p. 40-41) Once the above factors influence female sex offenders to commit
...prevent an identified offender from repeating his sexual assaults. Members of society must look to medical and behavioral science professionals for help in rehabilitating the offender. Our society is dependent on these professionals to acquire the knowledge to cure the psychological handicaps in the offender that cause him to rape under certain stressful situations. In addition to educating women of all ages that rape can, in fact, happen at any time or any place, we as members of a concerned society need to get involved and become part of the solution before it happens to our daughters.
When the topic of sexual assault arises, most people automatically assume that the offender is a male. While it is true that majority of the cases involve male perpetrators, there are cases where the offender is female. According to ABC News (1999), about four percent of sexual assault cases involved a female perpetrator. Due to the fact that female sex offenders do not occur often, there has not been a lot of studies or research done looking at these individuals. Part of this is because women are seen as caretakers, nonviolent, weak, non-dominant, plus many others.
Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years (USDOJ). Furthermore, violence between intimate partners causes U.S. women to collectively lose about $727 million in wages from about 8 million days missed of work (“Facts about Violence”). While violence among women has statistically decreased over the last 20 years, it is difficult to tell whether it is because women are not reporting the assaults, or because women’s rights, education, laws and safety measures have come a long way. RAPE AMONGST MALES Due to the media exposure, rape is usually thought of as a crime against females.... ...
The language used to discuss the types of female sex offenders is important because it shapes people’s perceptions. As a society, our perceptions towards female criminality is already one of minimizing harm done by the crime, and also by disbelief of a woman’s capability of committing crime. However, society also hold double standards in the way it treats men and women, specifically treatment of offenders. Whether intentional or not, crime has been socialized to be a predominately male activity and that those women who participate in criminal activities are even more deviant than male criminals due to the fact that they are not only committing a crime (whose very act is in defiance of social norms) but also defying their gender roles (Gakhal
It is for this reason that psychologists have added to and expanded female sex offender typologies. Faller, McCarty, and Hislop have all created their own offender classification systems that have contributed to our understanding of female sex
Being sexually abused can have a huge impact on an individuals life. Victims are often left physically, mentally and emotionally damaged. A major issue when dealing with female sex offenders is the report of crimes, particularly when male victims are involved. “A variety of factors have been found to influence decisions to formally report sexual assault, including severity of the crime, injury, relationship to the offender, and anticipated reactions from others” (Wyatt and Newcomb 1990; Arata 1998; Smith et al. 2000; Felson and Paré 2005 as cited by Hlavka 2014). According to the Center for Sex Offender Management Sexual (2007) incidents involving female perpetrators are less likely to be reported and/or not pursued by law enforcement officers for many different reasons.
In comparison to female victims, the factors that increase the chances for male victims to become offenders later on are the same. The National Institute of Justice reported that, “Overall, 68 percent of the incarcerated adult male felons reported some form of early childhood victimization before age 12, either physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect (Travis). Abuse and neglect are some of the main components to why 68 percent of female victims and 79 percent of male victims turn into offenders themselves. Despite the research, the vast majority of the victims are not receiving the treatment they need and that is a major factor for why victims turn into
The female experiences problem accepting that her behavior is unlawful as she has no resentment toward her prey. The sex offender takes advantage of her position, age, and role in the life of the student (Knoll, 2010). She seeks an affectionate sexual manifestation in her relations with the student. She senses that her erotic favors are acts of compassion to the schoolboy, and she thinks that the victim’s experiences with her are affirmative love
When most of the media attention goes to the perpetrator we commonly find law enforcers discussing what will happen to the perpetrator and the case but never do we hear them talk about the larger issue at hand. Thus, it is important to note that just because a law enforcer may work in the criminal justice system that does not make him or her an expert in the field of child sexual abuse. We need more perspectives of victims and families; we need them to be on the lenses describing these issues because who better to
Women are still highly prone to violence; particularly young women. The most recent Statistics Canada data reveals that 67% of Canadians know a woman who has been the victim of abuse, and that 66% of victims are under the age of 24 (Sinha 2013). This is a statistic which is concerning to say the least. Over half of the Canadian population can name at least one woman they know who had to suffer abuse simply because they were a woman. On the ‘snapshot day’ [day of data collection by Statistics Canada] of April 15th, 2010, there were 4,645 women residing in shelters. Seventy-one percent of these women were escaping abuse (Sinha 2013). Often, the abuses women face stem from their romantic partner, and rates of this type of violence are on the rise. In 2010, the rate of intimate partner homicide committed against females increased by 19%. Unfortunately, this is not an anomaly in the statistics. Intimate partner homicides have seen three increases over only four years. During that same period of time, however, the rate of homicide caused by intimate partners for male victims fell by almost half (The Facts About Violence Against Women). Why is it that female victims saw the third increase in four years, yet in one year the number of male victims was essentially halved? Certainly, crime trends may be attributed to some of the fluctuations, but this is a change which can hardly have no cause. Women also face concerningly high rates of sexual assault. This problem is only magnified given the lack of knowledge and stigma surrounding discussions about consent and safe sex. According to a 2015 survey commissioned by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, only one in three Canadians knew what sexual consent means (The Facts About Violence Against Women). If only 33% of the populous can identify what it means to engage it healthy, consensual sex, then it must be considered that
“Boys will be boys,” and we will allow bad behavior from women because all boy want is “sex”. This damaging system tells girls that they are worthless after rape, but it has a disgusting flipside for boys, You have worth now. You are a god. “The courts do seem to excuse women’s behaviors far more than men,” says Karen Flanagen of The Child Protection Group Childwise.(“Double standard: Unfairness in sentencing for female rapists; Where’s the equality?”) Males are told constantly that sex is “awesome,” and that they should sleep with as many women as
Sexual violence aimed at children and adolescents is a very volatile area. According to Cruise (2014), 12 of every 1,000 children in the United States were reported abused or neglected in 2001. Of those abused, more than 86,000 (9.6%) of the nearly 1 million children maltreated in 2001 experienced some kind of sexual abuse. Estimates from incidence and prevalence studies suggest that 1 in 4 girls and one in 8–10 boys are sexually abused by the age of 18 (Cruise, 2014). As social workers in this field, this awareness is indispensable.
Many reports of abuse are not taken seriously. Authorities let the cases go then later on the women are hurt mentally, physically, or emotionally again. A “great majority of victims [do] not want to go to the police”(McKenzie, Baker, et al). Women are “locked in a cycle of emotional confusion”(McKenzie, Baker, et al). Not a lot is done for women who need the help lawfully.