EVOLUTION, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, AND SEXUAL OFFENDING - APING OUR ANCESTORS

Although sexual offending enjoys an emerging literature, thought and r esearch in this area seem entirely divorced from that on reproduction Only recently has an evolutionary view been brought to light in this a rea. Recent literature notes the relative rarity with which people com mit crimes against their biological relatives and the differences betw een males and females in pursuing their romantic and sexual interests. The goal of this theoretical note is to examine how the lens of evolu tionary theory can help focus some light on the phenomena of sexual ab use. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd