RE: explaining a finding

["Ron Kokish" <ron@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've seen studies showing that battering is occurs with increased frequency
in homes where incest is found, but none showing the reverse - that incest
is more frequent in homes where battering is found. Are you sure these
studies say that? If yes, I'd very much appreciate the cites. (I do not own
the Bancroft book and live 300 miles from my University Library. They mail
me copies of articles, but not whole books.) 

Also, a number of "crossover studies" seem to show that men apprehended for
incest often have male victims and victims of both genders outside the
family. In some of these studies, there are few if any differences between
incest and non-incest offenders. I also have (unpublished) data from 112 men
in our own, local, outpatient sex offender treatment program that shows no
significant differences between men referred for intra and extra familial
CSA.

Recidivism studies however, do seem to show that men apprehended for incest
may be less sexually deviant than extra-familial offenders, because they
recidivate at significantly lower rates. Also, penile plethysmograph studies
have shown that men apprehended for incest tend to have laboratory response
patterns more similar to non-offenders, while extra-familial offenders tend
to show more sexual arousal to children. This doesn't fit will with the
crossover studies.

The bottom line is that sex offenders against children are a complicated and
diverse group that we still have a lot to learn about. To make matters
worse, retrospective victim data makes it seem likely that many, perhaps
most adults who engage in sex with children are never apprehended and thus,
never studied.  These people may be quite different from the ones we catch.
Unfortunately, the time for sweeping generalizations assigning
characteristics to clear-cut sex offender categories is not yet at hand. 


***************************************************************************
 Ron Kokish at Delson-Kokish Associates, P.O. Box 476, Trinidad, CA 95570
        Clinical and Forensic Evaluations, Consultation & Training
                 (707) 677-3181 voice        677-0187 fax
                 ron@delko.net email         www.delko.net
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
Natalie Powers
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 5:45 PM
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
Subject: RE: explaining a finding

You might also check out Bancroft and Silverman's book, "Parents as
Batterers:  Addressing the Impact of Domestic Violence on Family Dynamics"
2002. (Sage series on Violence against Women) They site several studies
regarding the higher incidence of incest in homes where mothers are being
battered. Incest is highly correlated in homes where domestic violence is an
issue. They also compare and contrast profiles of perpetrators of pedophilia
vs. incest.  Pedophiles typically have 100+ victims in a lifetime, usually
boys.  Incest perpetrators target girls and may only have1-2 victims. 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Sheri
oz
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 12:47 PM
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
Subject: Re: explaining a finding

Shelley, I'll venture a response - could it be in part because boys are
given more free rein to wander around outside the home unsupervised than are
most girls?

> In the study cited below, Finkelhor et al. (1990) found that "Boys 
> were
more likely to be abused by strangers (40% vs. 21% for women), whereas girls
were more likely to be abused by family members (29% vs. 11%)." (p. 21).
What are the plausible explanations for this finding?
>
> Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G., Lewis, I. A., & Smith, C. (1990). Sexual
abuse in a national survey of adult men and women: Prevalence,
characteristics, and risk factors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 14, 19-28.
>