Female Perpetrators of Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Women’s potential for sexual abuse was not recognized, until recently. Defining women as “victims” rather than “aggressors” in sexual assaults and also considering women as “primary caregivers” for children may be one of the main reasons for ignoring their potential to be sexually abusive. Recent findings showed that women sexually abuse children they closely know, and care for. Although, the information about prevalence and characteristics of female-perpetrated sexual abuse has started to be obtained with the increase in research on female sexual abusers, detailed information as much as male sexual abusers are still necessary. Although the prevalence of female-perpetrated sexual abuse is not precise, recent research suggest that is much higher than thought. Studies reported problematic relationships with women, depression, substance abuse, suicide attempts, anxiety problems, sexual problems, identity confusion, feelings of betrayal in the victims of female-perpetrated sexual abuse. Treatment programs for male sexual abusers are frequently used in the treatment of female abusers, but these programs do not respond to the needs of female sexual abusers. There is an absence of regular data on female sexual abusers in Turkey, so studies on female sexual abusers and the victims are required.

Keywords

• female abusers
• sexual abuse
• female pedophiles