HIDDEN PERPETRATORS - SEXUAL MOLESTATION IN A NONCLINICAL SAMPLE OF COLLEGE-WOMEN

The current study explored molestation committed by females during chi ldhood and adolescence. Participants were 546 female college students recruited from the psychology research pool at a large southeastern un iversity. Using a questionnaire approach, 22 women (4%) described at l east one experience that met the criterion for sexually molesting a yo unger child Although no offender viewed the experience as having a pos itive effect on the victim only 3 of the 22 (14%) viewed what occurred as child sexual abuse. Few differences were found between perpetrator s and nonperpetrators on background variables and psychological adjust ment Perpetrators, however; were more likely to have been sexually abu sed as children and to report having some sexual interest in children.