Child Pornography and Likelihood of Contact Abuse

TLDR

The study examined 120 adult male offenders, comparing 60 with prior contact child sexual offences to 60 without, using socio‑demographic data, prior convictions, and child access to assess differences in indecent images of children. The analysis revealed that prior convictions, child access, and the quantity, proportion, and type of indecent images of children could distinguish dual offenders from non‑contact offenders, with distinct image preferences further separating sadistic rapists from other sexual offenders, indicating a potential link between image possession, victim selection, and offending behavior and informing law‑enforcement prioritization.

Abstract

This study examined a sample of 120 adult males convicted of offences involving indecent images of children (IIOC); 60 had a previous contact child sexual offence (dual offenders) and 60 had no evidence of an offence against a child. Analyses explored socio-demographic characteristics, previous convictions, and access to children. Of the 120 offenders, a subsample of 60 offenders (30 dual offenders and 30 non-contact) were further examined in terms of the quantity of IIOC, types of IIOC, and offending behavior. The study found the two offender groups could be discriminated by previous convictions, access to children, the number, proportion, and type of IIOC viewed. The IIOC preferences displayed within their possession differentiated dual offenders from non-contact IIOC offenders. Within group comparisons of the dual offenders differentiated sadistic rapists from sexual penetrative and sexual touching offenders. The paper suggests there may be a homology between IIOC possession, victim selection, and offending behavior. Implications for law enforcement are discussed in terms of likelihood of contact offending and assisting in investigative prioritization.