The childhood victimization of sex offenders: An underestimated issue

The childhood victimization of sex offenders was investigated. The victimization experiences were recorded from a treatment milieu for sex offenders. Two hundred and eighty-six offenders were involved in the study. Comparisons were done between groups to determine relationships between alienation, dissociation, social desirability, and victimization experiences. Seventy percent of the sample admitted to being sexually abused as a child, 50% admitted to physical abuse. Offenders who were both sexually and physically abused reported feeling more alienated than other offenders. Offenders who were physically abused by both parents reported higher levels of dissociation and offenders who reported no abuse also were highest in serial desirability The importance of working with the offenders' childhood victimization experience is discussed.