Describe the nature of most sex offenses, and of child molestation in particular. How do the facts align with, and diverge from, commonly held understandings of these crimes?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Most offenders, far from being “sex fiends,” are rather minor offenders.
Only about 20 percent use force on their victims.
Untreated, convicted offenders tend to be recidivists in both sexual and nonsexual offenses, but in no greater proportions than nonsexual offenders.
While few offenders are psychopaths, many suffer from severe neurosis, borderline psychosis, or brain impairment, but most do not fit legal definitions of mental illness.
Most are emotionally immature and sexually constricted and inhibited, although those involved in rape and incest are more likely to be overimpulsive and oversexed.
Convicted statutory rapists and those involved in bestiality and incest are more likely to exhibit subnormal intelligence.
The majority of offenders are young, unmarried, and from poor educational and social-class backgrounds (p. 414; see also R. M. Holmes, 1983, 1991).

Child molestation- The typical act of child molesting involves an adult male and a female victim, usually 11–14 years of age. McCaghy (1976a, p. 87) identified six types of child molesters:
High-interaction molesters, who have known the children for some time and usually perform or have performed genital fondling
Incestuous molesters, who take advantage of a child living in the same household
Asocial molesters, who are involved in illegal careers
Senile molesters, who are older, poorly educated offenders
Career molesters, who have persistent offense patterns involving child molestation
Spontaneous-aggressive molesters, who have had little previous contact with their victims and tend to commit their offenses in a physically forceful and unplanned way