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When it comes to sexual abuse, a new, broader theoretical framework needs to include gender diversity.
When a woman sexually abuses a boy, the woman and the boy each experience events differently than men who sexually abuse girls. These discussions need to include stereotypes about dangerous females, male sexuality, normal sexual experimentation, and the social worth of males’ perceptions of female sexual attention.
Dr. John Bradford shared some of his latest research findings during the October 17 session of the International Forensic Psychiatry Lecture Series. (You can watch a recording of the lecture online.)
The Women
Little research has been done on women who sexually abuse or on the effects of sexual abuse by women. However, that is starting to change, Dr. Bradford said.
While previous research of police reports found that women were the perpetrators in one to nine per cent of sexual offences, victimization surveys found that the rate was three to 24 per cent.
Other research found that women who sexually abused boys were nearly four times more likely than men to be parents or guardians, including teachers, of their victims. These relationships may contribute to the underreporting of such abuse.
Women are also less likely than men to use violence, force, or coercion during their sexual abuse. This may contribute to the myth that the sex was consensual or less harmful to the victim. As well, the lack of violence does not fit well with police theories of offending behaviours, which may also contribute to underreporting.
Dr. Bradford said the women are often perceived to be maternally driven or innocently misguided, instead of overtly and intentionally abusive. Because of that, women who sexually abuse boys usually are treated much more leniently than men.
The Boys
International research showed the prevalence rate for childhood sexual abuse in the general population ranges from 13 to 20 per cent for girls and five to eight per cent for boys.
While American research has shown that nearly 90 per cent of sexual abuse of girls is committed by men, about 45 per cent of sexual abuse of boys is committed by men and 55 per cent by women.
Societal norms say these young teenage males should be happy for the sexual experience. They are not perceived as victims but as having gone through a natural sexual experimentation but as willing participants. Dr. Bradford said this may also contribute to underreporting. It also contributes to these boys not viewing themselves as victims nor getting the support that would be normal for girls sexually abused by men.
The Men
With that previous research in mind, Dr. Bradford and his team completed two retrospective studies. They wanted to better understand the differences between childhood sexual abuse committed by women and men, and how the abuse affected male forensic patients.
In one study, the team assessed 1,154 men for sexual offences between 1991 and 2002 at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. In the other, they assessed 2,734 men accused of sexual offences, problematic sexual interests, or both between 1982 and 2024 at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
Nearly a quarter of the men were abused by women. Among that group, about 70 per cent reported themselves as willing participants.
The research found that men abused by women entered the forensic system five to six years younger than those abused by men.
As well, men who were abused by women only were more likely to have diagnoses of exhibitionism, biastophilia (sexually aroused by assaulting an unconsenting person), and sadism than men abused by men, abused by both men and women, or not abused.
Dr. Bradford said more research is needed on the longitudinal effects of sexual abuse by women and the childhood adverse experiences of the boys. Promiscuity and hypersexuality are other areas that need more research in this area.
Written by Virginia St-Denis and approved by Dr. John Bradford.
