| Abstract: | This paper describes some of the background characteristics and sexually abusive behaviour of 100 British sexually abusive male adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years. A retrospective file review and clinical assessment provided relevant information on all subjects who had a documented history of sexual assault or abuse against others. Subjects came from a variety of sources including residential child care centres, secure facilities and an adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. Demographic characteristics and abuser characteristics are described, including the family environment, history of involvement with health and social services, school adjustment and performance, history of non-sexual antisocial behaviour, and also the adolescents’ own prior experiences of physical and sexual abuse. Abuse and victim characteristics are also described, including duration of abusive behaviour, types of sexually abusive behaviour exhibited, sex offence convictions, method of overcoming victim resistance, location where abuse took place, sex and age of victims, and abuser—victim relationship. These abuser and abuse characteristics were found to be consistent with those described in the North American literature. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the aetiology, management and treatment of sexually abusive behaviour in British adolescents. |
