When it comes to victims turning into offenders, unfortunately the odds are highly likely. Whether it is victims of sexual abuse or victims of spousal abuse, the chances of the victim becoming an offender is well beyond a reasonable limit. Forensic criminologist, Professor Mallett from the University of New England conducted a meta-analysis of correlational studies and found that, “Anywhere between 33% and 75% of child sex offenders report being sexually abused as children” (Mallett, 2016). That range is sickening because it suggests that these adult’s lives could have been entirely different if it were not for the life-changing trauma they endured during their childhood. Most offenders are also victims because they experienced some type of …show more content…
In the event of a female being victimized, the consequences often lead to a path of criminal delinquency. In the textbook, it states that, “The first step along female’ pathway into the juvenile justice system is victimization” (Textbook, page 74). The offenses that guided the female victim-turned-offender include molestation, incest, rape, neglect, and abuse. Sadly, these crimes undone to the female victim often lead them to a life of crime. Prostitution and substance abuse are often the crimes female victims engage in if they are not immediately treated for the trauma they encountered. Researchers have concluded that, “Substance abuse in females is highly correlated with early childhood sexual victimizations” (Textbook 74). This correlation supports the notion that if the community does not give the emotional and physical support the victim needs, the chances of them using marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, heroin, and prescription drugs is extremely likely to happen. In the …show more content…
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
Many etiological theories exist attempting to explain the root causes of sexual offending. Although few provide substantial evidence and no definitive conclusions have been made, the social learning theory has been proposed to account for sex offending behaviors. Specifically, the social learning theory, or victim-to-victimizer theory, suggests sexually abused children learn these behaviors and are much more likely to perpetrate abuse when they’re older (Seto & Lalumiere, 2010). The following studies have provided substantial support for the social learning etiology. Through the use of a meta-analysis, Seto and Lalumiere (2010) concluded that sexual offending is tied to prior sexual abuse. Burton, Miller, and Shill (2002) discovered significant differences between sexual offending and nonsexual offending adolescents in the areas of sexual abuse. Lastly, Burton (2003) determined that sex offender’s methods of abuse mimicked that which was done to them. The introduction, method, results, and discussion of each study is addressed and the link between prior sexual abuse and future sex offending behaviors become apparent.
The acceptance that the court system often treats female offenders differently than male offenders is an accurate statement; however, it comes with many caveats. Generally, the public views women as nurturers, motherly and incapable of harming a child. Research indicates that female sex offenders capable of committing such acts have serious psychiatric and psychological problems. In comparison, research indicates male sex offenders are more callous, more antisocial, and promiscuous, involved in the criminal justice system, and have more victims (Miccio-Fenseca, 2012, slide 7). The consensus is that men commit their acts for sexual pleasure while women commit their acts due to psychiatric and psychological problems. Law enforcement, juries, and judges tend to empathize more when there are additional mitigating factors such as emotional or psychological problems. Due to these mitigating factors, it appears treatment of female sex offenders is more lenient than male if their crimes are similar in nature. Research by Miccio-Fenseca (2012) indicates that in comparison to their male counterparts, “female sex offenders rarely use force or violence far less than often…rarely use threats of violence to silence victims…rarely use threats o...
Gender-based violence has been recognized as a large public health problem as well as a violation of human rights worldwide. One out of three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in another way at least once in her life (www.infoforhealth.org). The abuser is usually a member of the family, introducing the difficult problem in that the abuse usually happens behind closed doors, and is often viewed by cultural norms and legal systems as a family matter rather than a crime.
Throughout history, certain crimes have been separated into different categories base on their prevalence. For every crime, the offense and charge is different. In addition, not every crime is committed by the same gender. Crimes such as larceny, fraud, forgery, and prostitution (Chesney-Lind, 1986) tend to be committed more often by women; whereas, assault, murder, trafficking, etc tend to be committed by men. When it comes to the stereotyping of women in the criminal justice system one could say that women present themselves as victims to reach a lesser sentence or that by presenting themselves as victims they will have a longer sentence that will protect them.
Girls are three times as likely to have been sexually abused as boys (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996). Many female delinquents, an estimated 70 percent, report a history of sexual and physical abuse. Most often, abuse is perpetrated by family members or close family friends who are perceived as trusted adults (Davis, et al., 1997). This in turn leads to a young girl lacking one of the most basic needs which is trust.
According to the article “Statistics on Women Offenders,” Leonard A Sipes Jr. stated that “6 out of 10 women in prison have experienced physical or sexual abuse in the past. Approximately 69 percent of these assaults occurred before the age of 18” (corrections). Statistics from 2013 show that over 37% of female offenders are raped before going to prison. In the documentary, one female offender in the “Women’s Wellness Program,” asks the other women in the group what made it okay for her stepfather to sexual molest her at the age of 11. She also stated every time she replayed the incident in her mind she becomes
Adolescents who are physically abused are likely to question the intentions or others as well as develop bias perceptions of social processes. A study showed that "Inmates who were child victims were more than twice as likely as inmates who were adult victims to report having suffered prior instances of physical or sexual abuse. The differences were particularly striking with respect to sexual abuse. While an estimated 22% of child victimizers reported having been sexually abused, less than 6% of adult victimizers reported such backgrounds” (Ards et al, 2001). Not only are victims of sexual abuse more likely to enact sexual violence against others they are also likely to engage in prostitution.
Why do females commit crimes? Female’s percentages in jails and prisons have increase in the recent years. This has led to our society being concern of female crimes and how they affect us. This paper will discuss female inmates and some of the legal and social problems they face in the criminal justice system.
The National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Initials. (2003). what research shows about. Unpublished manuscript, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Retrieved from ncsby.org
Traditionally, there has been little research on or interest in the impact of female crime in modern society. In addition, juvenile crime rates are on the rise, which combine for a void of research or information on female juvenile offenders. In general, crime rates for women offenders have risen since the 1990's. Increasing numbers of young women are also offending at higher rates. In a 1996 U.S. Department of Justice Report, the number of arrests of young women had doubled between 1989 and 1993. Twenty percent of all juvenile arrests were committed by girls, an increase of 87 percent. However, according to The National Study of Delinquency Prevention in Schools, males are far more likely to admit to criminal involvement than are females. For example, 12 percent of males and 4 percent of females reported carrying a hidden weapon other than a pocketknife in the past year (Wilson, p.150). There are several theories for this rise in crime proposed by modern feminists, including that the introduction of women into traditional male roles prompted women to commit increasingly dangerous and violent crimes. However, this paper will rely on Meda Chesney-Lind's theories from The Female Offender.
Sex offenders have been a serious problem for our legal system at all levels, not to mention those who have been their victims. There are 43,000 inmates in prison for sexual offenses while each year in this country over 510,000 children are sexually assaulted(Oakes 99). The latter statistic, in its context, does not convey the severity of the situation. Each year 510,000 children have their childhood's destroyed, possibly on more than one occasion, and are faced with dealing with the assault for the rest of their lives. Sadly, many of those assaults are perpetrated by people who have already been through the correctional system only to victimize again. Sex offenders, as a class of criminals, are nine times more likely to repeat their crimes(Oakes 99). This presents a
When the criminal justice system was established, one of the goals was to create neutrality and fairness between the sexes. However, during those times, women were not known for behaving in such manners. If a woman did in fact take part in any criminal activities, those crimes would have been blames on an individual that could of not fought for themselves. Even though people might believe that there is no such thing as ‘stereotyping’ in the criminal justice system, it is quite obvious that women are constantly being looked down upon because of their sex. In general, women tend to be treated like fragile objects that could break at any moment; the truth is that women can behave like men. Society stereotypes women; and, the criminal justice system is no different. When it comes to the stereotyping of women in the criminal justice system, society presents women who are indeed capable of committing such crimes as victims because by doing do they can achieve a lesser sentence or if necessary a longer sentence that will protect them from any harm.
Existing criminal theory suggest that gender is a significant factor in understanding criminality. Compared to male offenders, women have specific needs and tend to offend in different ways and for different reasons. Understanding the needs of women and the nature and cause of their crime is essential to developing an equitable approach to female criminality. Feminist scholars have critiqued the justice system’s approach to gender, with some suggesting that the law is, fundamentally, sexist. As Haney (2000) notes: “Legal interpretations of suffering also failed to acknowledge the distinct quality of women’s pain”; she notes that “[a]ccording to West (1991), men and women experience pleasure and pain differently; men often find pleasure in
There are many different types of victims we have discussed over the course of this class, but we’re only going to talk about two types in the following paper. These two types of victims are common just as any another victim across America. These include sex assault victims and child abuse victims, which are both primary victims in cases. The two share a tie together, both are a victim of abuse and can cause lifelong consequences, but they also pose many differences as well. Many questions arise when talking about victims, for example why is a child or adult being abused and what are the life altering affects to these actions. Throughout this paper we discuss both sexual assault victims and child abuse victims and compare and contrast between the two.
It is most important to understand that children and teens of all racial, religious, ethnic, gender and age groups, at all socio-economic levels are sexually abused. Although there are risk factors that may increase the possibility of sexual abuse, sex abuse can be found in all types of families, communities, and cultures (The Scope of, 2016). Childhood sexual abuse is an important issue to address because the impact of sexual does not end when the abuse ends. Childhood trauma follows into adulthood and can have long-range effects. “Survivors of sexual abuse are at significantly greater risks for severe and chronic mental health issues, including alcoholism, depression, anxiety, PTSD and high risk behaviors” (The Scope Of, 2016). Victims may experience traumatic sexualization, or the shaping of their sexuality in “developmentally inappropriate” and “interpersonally dysfunctional” ways (Effects of Child, 2012). “A child who is the victim of prolonged sexual abuse usually develops low self-esteem, a feeling of worthlessness and an abnormal or distorted view of sex. The child may become withdrawn and mistrustful of adults, and can become suicidal” (Effects of Child, 2012). Overall, the effects and impact of childhood sexual abuse are long lasting and do not diminish when the abuse ends, their childhood trauma follows them into