Victim-choice polymorphia among serious sex offenders

• Published in: Archives of sexual behavior Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 521 - 533
• Main Authors: Guay, J P, Proulx, J, Cusson, M, Ouimet, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01.10.2001
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Choice Behavior; Crime Victims - classification; Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data; Criminal Psychology - classification; Criminal Psychology - statistics & numerical data; Decision making; Female; Humans; Incest; Male; Prisoners - classification; Prisoners - psychology; Quebec - epidemiology; Rape; Sex offenders; Sex Offenses - classification; Sex Offenses - psychology; Sex Offenses - statistics & numerical data; Victims of crime; Quebec
• ISSN: 0004-0002; 1573-2800
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1010291201588

The victim-choice polymorphia of 178 sexual aggressors divided into six subtypes, incest offenders, pseudoincest offenders, sexual aggressors of familiar children, sexual aggressors of unfamiliar children, sexual aggressors of familiar women, and sexual aggressors of unfamiliar women, was compared. Results showed that sex offenders remained stable in their choice of victim from one offence to another in terms of victim age, victim gender, and aggressor-victim relationship. Subjects characterised by high levels of polymorphia were pseudoincest offenders and sexual aggressors of familiar women, whereas sexual aggressors of both unfamiliar women and unfamiliar children were characterised by low levels of polymorphia. Recommendations regarding how to further refine sex offender typologies are discussed.