Motivations and dynamics involved in sexual offending have attracted considerable interest from researchers, clinicians, investigators, and other field practitioners. Much research examining the etiology and pathogenesis of sexual offending has focused on the role of deviant sexual fantasy. Several studies have found a high prevalence of deviant fantasies in sexual offenders. However, despite these efforts, there are fundamental questions that remain unanswered, i.e. the nature of the relationship between deviant fantasy and sexual offending, the development of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offenders, and the functions of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offending. To prevent sexual offending or to identify potential suspects, it seems evident that the role of deviant sexual fantasy in the etiopathogenesis of sexual offending needs careful consideration. In other words, it is required to know the factors that promote the development of deviant sexual fantasies in sexual offenders as well as the translation of fantasy into reality. This chapter reviews those areas of the literature on sexual offenders which have been often proposed by developmental models of sexual offending as involved in the origin and development of sexual deviant activity. It is shown that sexual offending may originate from a series of developmental factors, such as early traumatic experiences, especially victimization in childhood and dysfunctional parent-child relationships, child and adult attachment, psychological problems, social difficulties and interpersonal problems, and deviant sexual fantasies in sexual offenders. In addition, this chapter proposes a possible path through which early traumatic experiences, especially child abuse, parent-child relationships, and child attachment, may lead to sexual offending by the development of deviant sexual fantasies. Furthermore, the functions of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offending are highlighted. Specifically, it is proposed that early traumatic experiences and an insecure attachment style might result in later psychiatric disorders, emotional problems, such as low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy and inferiority to others, and difficulties in intimate relationships, which, in turn, might lead to the refuge in a inner world of deviant fantasy which functions as a means to satisfy needs for intimacy, emotional closeness, power, or control or as a way of coping with painful abuse-related mental states.
Deviant sexual fantasies and sexual offending: Clinical, psychodynamic, psychosocial, and developmental issues
Maniglio R.;
2020-01-01
Abstract
Motivations and dynamics involved in sexual offending have attracted considerable interest from researchers, clinicians, investigators, and other field practitioners. Much research examining the etiology and pathogenesis of sexual offending has focused on the role of deviant sexual fantasy. Several studies have found a high prevalence of deviant fantasies in sexual offenders. However, despite these efforts, there are fundamental questions that remain unanswered, i.e. the nature of the relationship between deviant fantasy and sexual offending, the development of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offenders, and the functions of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offending. To prevent sexual offending or to identify potential suspects, it seems evident that the role of deviant sexual fantasy in the etiopathogenesis of sexual offending needs careful consideration. In other words, it is required to know the factors that promote the development of deviant sexual fantasies in sexual offenders as well as the translation of fantasy into reality. This chapter reviews those areas of the literature on sexual offenders which have been often proposed by developmental models of sexual offending as involved in the origin and development of sexual deviant activity. It is shown that sexual offending may originate from a series of developmental factors, such as early traumatic experiences, especially victimization in childhood and dysfunctional parent-child relationships, child and adult attachment, psychological problems, social difficulties and interpersonal problems, and deviant sexual fantasies in sexual offenders. In addition, this chapter proposes a possible path through which early traumatic experiences, especially child abuse, parent-child relationships, and child attachment, may lead to sexual offending by the development of deviant sexual fantasies. Furthermore, the functions of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offending are highlighted. Specifically, it is proposed that early traumatic experiences and an insecure attachment style might result in later psychiatric disorders, emotional problems, such as low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy and inferiority to others, and difficulties in intimate relationships, which, in turn, might lead to the refuge in a inner world of deviant fantasy which functions as a means to satisfy needs for intimacy, emotional closeness, power, or control or as a way of coping with painful abuse-related mental states.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
