title: Similarities and differences in adolescence-onset versus adulthood-onset sexual abuse incidents.
abstract: A sample of males who had first committed sexual offences against children in either adolescence (n=230; M=14.0 years, SD=1.5) or adulthood (n=280; M=34.4 years, SD=11.7) were compared on measures relating to the circumstances of their first known sexual abuse incident. Considerable diversity in the circumstances of these first incidents was observed for both groups. However, adulthood-onset sexual abuse most often occurred following a long-standing familial relationship with a female victim, and in a home setting. The first incident for adolescence-onset offenders also tended to occur in the context of a long-term relationship and against a female child in a home setting, but more commonly against a nonfamilial victim. Adulthood-onset offenders abused older children, were more likely to engage in penetrative sexual behaviors, and went on to abuse over a longer duration than adolescence-onset offenders. Adolescence-onset offences were more likely to be witnessed by a third party. Findings and their implications for prevention are considered from a situational crime prevention perspective.
authors.affiliation: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, 176 Messines Ridge Road, Mt. Gravatt, Queensland 4122, Australia.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McKillop
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, 176 Messines Ridge Road, Mt. Gravatt, Queensland 4122, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smallbone
authors.affiliation: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, 176 Messines Ridge Road, Mt. Gravatt, Queensland 4122, Australia.
authors.forename: Karlyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pritchard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence-onset; Adulthood-onset; Child sexual abuse; Sexual offenders; Situational theories