Title: MOSAC - Mothers of Sexually Abused Children - Types of Sex Offenders
Headings: Types of Sex Offenders
Types of Sex Offenders
Content: MOSAC - Mothers of Sexually Abused Children - Types of Sex Offenders
Types of Sex Offenders
Sex offenders are typed according to victim preference and behavior. The most famous typology was done by Groth in 1979 (Groth & Birnbaum). Child molesters were divided into two types, regressed and fixated. Regressed offenders were at one time sexually active with adult opposite-sex partners. Situational stressors such as unemployment, physical disability, or loss of sexual confidence led to a transfer of sexual need to less threatening partners (children). Groth found that approximately 51% of child molesters were of this type. Fixated child molester is a person who was attracted to children throughout life and constitutes 49% of child molesters. Wiklund (1995) discusses the FBI's division of child molesters into situational molesters and preferential molesters. The situational molester is not primarily attracted to children for sexual gratification. The FBI estimates that situational molester has a lifetime average of 81 incidents of child abuse with two victims (p. 17).