British adolescents who sexually abuse: a descriptive study

The seriousness of the problem posed by adolescents who sexually abuse has been increasingly recognized and documented in recent years. The background characteristics of 51 adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years who were re ferred to a specialist assessment and treatment facility for young sexual a busers are presented. Victim and abuse characteristics are also described. The results of this study were found to be broadly consistent with those re ported in the recent North American and British literature, and support a m ultifactorial aetiological explanation for adolescent sexual abuse in terms of environmental, familial, interpersonal and developmental elements. Of p articular note is a prior history of abuse and victimization and lack of pr otective parenting. Increasing knowledge about adolescent sexual abusers wi ll aid the various agencies working with young people to recognize those wh o are at risk of future sexual abusing and to develop appropriate therapeut ic interventions.