Women sexually abuse children - bmj.com

1 'Muchresearchhasconfirmedthetraditionalv iewthatsexualabuseisperpetratedbymenonwo menandgirls:typically,overfourfifthsofse xuallyabusedchildrenarefemale2andover95% ofabusersaremale.`6 Butitseemsthatthenumbersofsexuallyabused boysandwomenperpetratorsarebeingseriousl yunder-estimated:Krugmanfoundthattwofift hsofvictimsseenattheKempeCentrewereboys, 7andFinkelhorandRussellcomputedthatwomen mayaccountforupto13%oftheabuseofgirlsand nearlyonequarteroftheabuseofboys.' , "playful"manipulationofababyboy'sgenital siscommontoday-andanecdotalevidencesugge ststhatthisisthecase-thepracticeislikely toberegardedasbenignandanexpressionofamo ther' ,afatherwhoowneduptofondlingorkissinghis babydaughter' ,whetherpaedophilesingeneral(womenwhoare sexuallyarousedbychildren) , :theindependentoffender,thecoabuser, '0 Seventypercentofthevictimswereagedbetwee n4and10,20%wereyoungerthan4,and10% , , 'sgenitals,oralsex,digitalmasturbation,a ndactualsexualintercourse, ,ofteninpolyincestuousfamilysituations,w iththeabuseusuallyinitiatedbymen.

2 "'Inareviewof16casesofmother-sonincestMa rgolinincludedexamplesoforalsex(mothersf ellatingsonsandencouragingthemtoperformc unnilingus) :fouroftheboyswereagedaround12, ,whileanotherattainedorgasmwithoutejacul ation."Insevenoftheeightcasesofmother-so nabusereviewedbyKrugtheseductionofprepub escentsonshadbeencontinuedintoearlyadole s-cence.' 'sstudyfewerthanonein10womenwerepsychoti c-manyfewerthaninanearlierstudybyMathis, , (usuallybyabrother),andthatalthoughmosth admarriedasteenagers, ,especiallywhenthewomanperpetratedtheabu seindepen-dentlyandnotasaco-offenderoran accomplice."' ,andwhetherboyvictimssuffermorepsychosoc ialsequelsthangirlvictims,areissuesthata restilldebated."2''INasjletihasshownthat adultrapistsoftengiveahistoryofhavingbee nabusedbytheirmothersinchildhood.'5 Inhisstudyofsexoffenderswhohadbeenappreh endedorjailed,orboth, "anobviousfabrication"and"aphysicalimpos sibility"theaccountofa7yearoldboywhohadd escribedtohisteacherhowhismotherhadtaken himintoherbedandplacedhis"willy"inher"fa nny" ,alcoholicmotherwho,despiteoverwhelminge videncetothecontrary, , but(quitecorrectly) , '7 Thejudgeinthecasecommented,"Leastsaidsoo nestmended," on 15 October 2019 by guest.

3 Protected by : first published as on 5 May 1990. Downloaded from abusebywomen,andresearchmustbeundertaken toidentifysimilaritiesanddifferencesbetw eenmenandwomenoffenders-especiallywithre gardtothemotivationtoabuse,theselectiono fvictims,theefficacyoftreatment, "Nopenis,noharm," ,hildandAdolescentPsychiatristPaxtonHous e,ReadingRG32 BAIM razek1' 'cholI'schiatry1980;21 :AmericanHumaneAssociatiott, 'ldWel/fare1986;65 , ;11 ,lvItchM\I, ' :MrazckF,KcmpeCH,cc( :lirgamionlPress,1987:35-6 MathisJ.(Ccarilitnikingaboutsexualde'via tions:ane-alooikatoIdproiibms(.hicago:Ne lso-tHolt, ;8 ).Russell1). :FinkelhorI), :net-ttheorm' :FreePress,1984 ;53 ) ,andl'ii-tims1987;2 ' :1A7urianalf(CianigingPat'terns1986;5 'hilcdhiidscxualibuisehytniliers:casetlc scriptiotus, \ugl1989;13 'I'heincstot' :SgrouiSM4, ,aln1i-rentttlntoitnsexualablhsaLexingto n:Hcath,1982 'arsons'.' ;5:1() 'eriiiginsilnc< (;59 'I' :(ircrJ,StLiart1, ,reissor:iurrentperupettivesinttreantmii NcwYiork:\anNoiitrancdReiaiold,1983 , ,g1989;13 'gestation(withcertainexceptions) :asurveybytheRoyalCollegeofObstetricians andGynaecologistsfoundthat45%ofwomenoper atedonbetween13and16weeks'gestationandon efifthofthoseoperatedonafter20weekshadse entheirdoctorsbefore13weeks.))

4 ' ,Italy, ,caring, ,however, ;andalmostallabortionsaredoneessentially becausethepregnancywasunwanted(lessthan2 %areforfetalabnormalities).' ,herpartner,herfamily, ' 'sshadowhealthminister,HarrietHarman,quo tedcutsof20-50%ineveryNHSregion, , ,however, ,webelieve,begiventothemain-tenanceandim provementoffamilyplanningservices, )eputyeditor,BAIJR ovalCollegeofObstetriciansand( 'lealviabilosvanidcloiealpractiitLondon: RoyalCollegcofObstetriciansand( ),FrancorieC, ,J1989-298 :H1\So, ,No15.)1154 BMJVOLUME3005 MAY1990 on 15 October 2019 by guest. Protected by : first published as on 5 May 1990. Downloaded from