Unmasking the Sexual Offender

Transcription

1 Unmasking the Sexual Offender Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Challenging Your World View To understand a sexual offender you must do two things: First, understand that you must not put yourself in their shoes. You must put them in their shoes and see the world through their eyes, not their situason through your eyes. Second, you must understand that sex isn t sex. You cannot use a model of normal sexuality to understand the offender. How to think... Not what to think 1

2 Three parts to any sexually assault The offender The vicsm The audience YOU may be an offender s best weapon!!! Denial and jussficasons reflect the beliefs, biases, prejudice, and values of the listener. Women cry rape or violence to retaliate Nice guys don t do that Sexual Assault is a subsstute for sex Alcohol or Drugs cause rape Adolescents aren t vulnerable Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde: It wasn t me Sexual IdenSty Issues/Boys can t be raped It was an impulse Men are barely controlled animals anyway 2

3 Golden Rule Deviance is deviance Don t confuse preference with limits. Don t define the offender by the vicsm. Don t forget the non- sexual dynamics. THE TRUTH A bad vicsm for you is a perfect vicsm for the offender. Every Sme an offender is confronted and/or a vicsm is believed, he gets the message he is not omnipotent. Every rape is a stranger rape. Alcohol and VicSms: The offender, vicsm, and audience Alcohol myopia Culpability and alcohol Vulnerability and alcohol Memory and alcohol Please do not use without permission 3

4 Child Pornography - VicSmless crime? Crime scene photos ReflecSon of arousal - collect what you like Internet - the forever place IntenSon - arousal, threat, blackmail DesensiSzaSon and deviance Community building The Internet and Adolescents Rape Sloth meme Furries/Anime Cartoons Porn, Porn, Porn What we know... Juveniles are responsible for a significant percent of sexual crimes They are responsible for more than a third of sex crimes against children under 12 Most juvenile offenders do not recidivate sexually Most adult offenders began offending as adolescents Adolescence is a Sme when sexuality crystalizes Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. (2013) 4

5 Where is the crossroad? Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. (2013) ReacSve? Age of offender Similarity to abuse Sexually Aggressive? Sexual Offenders? Juvenile Offenders Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. (2013) What is related to violent & sexual recidivism? Callousness Early AnSsociality Peer Group Influence Precocious Sexuality Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. (2013) 5

6 The Research Generalists Specialists Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. (2013) Issues of Vulnerability There is no vulnerability without danger. The predator defines the vulnerability. InSmate crimes/criminals create symptoms in the vicsms or use problems in the situason that they can use to destroy/diminish the vicsm s credibility! The worse the vicsm looks, the bejer it is for the offender. Shiking the Burden Offenders are fabulous at shi7ing the focus and the weight of the offense onto the vic:m: What did the vicsm do to deserve it? The embarrassment and shame The burden of telling Responsible for the consequences The quesson of credibility The quesson of mosve 6

7 How we are fooled What excuses did this offender make? How did he ajempt to manipulate or groom the audience in this case? Did you hear any confessions, full or parsal? Niceness as a Weapon Nice is a behavior, not a trait Nice is controlling The vicsm The audience Nice comes with a bunch of assumpsons and ajribusons All nice behavior always benefits the offender Nice garners trust Nice makes confrontason uncomfortable Nice contrasts with the vicsm You can never see this coming. Earl S., offender of children 7

8 Personal Crimes & Symptoms Interpersonal crimes, especially ongoing crimes, create in vicsms the very symptoms that are then used against the vicsm later: DecepSon EmoSonal lability Memory problems Substance Abuse RelaSonships and Rape RelaSonships are used to cloud rape Provides access Provides excuses/explanasons Used against the vicsm Establish status issues Why rape when you can have sex? Pathways to Offending Character/Personality AnSsociality Narcissism Sexual Deviance These may coexist in any offender! 8

9 Two Primary Personality Issues Antisociality Criminality Early Maladjustment Lack of Empathy Failure to Appreciate Impact of Behavior Pattern of Disregard for Rules or Rights of Others Narcissism Egocentric Grandiose Arrogance Devaluing Lacks Empathy Special Blaming ENTITLEMENT EnStlement is a primary factor in violence. May be the single most important concept in understanding (interpersonal violence) Bancro' & Silverman, 2002 Unreasonable expecta9ons Demands Feeling special and privileged Feeling owed You beaer pay for my feelings 9

10 Sexual Deviance Sexual deviance typically coexists with normal sexuality. Like the tracks, the types of arousal begin similarly, overlap at places, and run separately. They are not exclusive nor do they necessarily rely on each other to funcson. Fantasy and Deviance Plateau Excitement Orgasm Refractory A normal process of sexual arousal and behavior. Sexual deviance typically relies much more on the excitement phase. Fantasy Normal Fantasy Self Other Acts Deviant Fantasy Self VicSm Acts 10

11 Sources of Sexual Arousal Rage Physical a>ributes Rela:onship features roles, ease, demand characteris:cs Vulnerability emo:onal, sexual, physical, mental Exploita:on Smell Risk or Thrill seeking Taboo Power Secrecy Pain/Humilia:on/Terror Violence Narcissism Sexual objec:fica:on Vengeance Fantasy Indulgence WHY? Fulfills a need, is grasfying, likes it Has access, opportunity Makes the choice to act All behavior can be explained this simply. We cannot cure but can do the most to eliminate access and change decision- making. Valliere & Counseling Associates 726 Church Street P.O. Box 864 Fogelsville, PA (610) Veronique N. Valliere, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Forensic Treatment Services 1501 E. Pennsylvania St. Allentown, PA (610) ftsdrv@ptd.net 11