This document discusses various topics related to offender and victim behavior in cases of child sexual abuse. It covers common grooming techniques used by offenders to gain access to victims and prevent discovery of abuse. It also examines counterintuitive behaviors in victims that can present problems for prosecutors, such as delaying disclosure or maintaining a relationship with the offender. Reasons for these behaviors include shame, guilt, fear and the effects of grooming methods used by offenders. The document also provides statistics on conviction rates in cases with adolescent victims and factors that can impact case outcomes.

1. Darrel B. Turner, PhD

2.  Offender Behavior:
 Grooming
 Victim Behavior:
 Counter-Intuitive Characteristics
 Delay in Disclosing or Non-Disclosure

3. What is it?
 Behavior engaged in by the offender to gain access to
victims and to prevent discovery of abuse.
Types of Grooming:
 Grooming of the Victim
 Self Grooming
 Grooming of the Environment (family, church, friends,
etc.)

4.  Grandiose Sense of Self
 Violation of Supervised Release
 Compulsive Lying
 Criminal Versatility
 Superficial Charm
 Sexual Promiscuity
 Parasitic Lifestyle
 Early Behavioral Problems
 Shallow Affect
 Lack of Empathy - Callous
 No Remorse
 Risk Taking Behavior
 Impulse Control

5.  Finding and Seeking out Opportunity
•Sullivan, Beech (2004) In a group of professionals
with contact victims, 41.5% indicated access factored
in to their career choice, 15% indicated solely to
abuse, 21.5% “not sure”.
•Elliott (1995) In a group of contact child sex offenders,
35% obtained victims from public places frequented by
children. 33% obtained victims by being invited into the
family home.

6.  Work History of Career Sexually Violent
Pedophile. 4 victims age range of 5 to 14, male
and female:
 Ice Cream Truck Driver
 Travelling Carnival Worker
 Bowling Alley Employee
 “Poolman” at an apartment complex

7.  Isolation
• Frame of reference
• Reparenting
 Normalizing
• “It’s normal.”
• “It’s universal.”
• “It’s good.”
 Graduation
• Desensitization
• “Foot in the door”
• Culpability: “Partners in crime”

8. Victim “Kim”: Sexually assaulted over two years by step
father. Age at time of offense 15-16.

9.  Elliott (1995):
 42% portrayed abuse as education or a game
 24% threatened some dire consequence
 24 % used anger or threat of harm
 20% threatened to blame the victim
 20% threatened loss of the relationship

10.  Walsh, Wolak (2005):
 39% showed the victim pornography
 34% gave the victim alcohol or drugs
 27% produced child pornography of the victim
 45% possessed some child pornography
 30% had jobs with access to children

11.  Elliott (1995):
 If the child showed fear or resistance: 61% paused
and restarted while 39% used violence or threats
 49% continued to talk about sex
 47% used “accidental” touches
 46% used bribery or gifts
 44% used verbal persuasion
 19% initiated with physical force

12.  Victim “Jack”: Raped over several years by
family friend beginning at age 13.
 Incarcerated on methamphetamine charges at
age 19

13.  How do Offenders Prepare Themselves to Act?
 Elliott (1995):
 22% used drugs and/or alcohol
 21% viewed pornography
 8% communicated with other child sex offenders
 49% used personal fantasies related to previous victims
 Rationalization

14.  “It’s not that they’re young, it’s that
they’re small.”

15.  “This all happened in the 80’s. We didn’t
know any better back then. Back then,
rape was all ‘hush hush’.”

16.  “I told myself that since I was only
touching them and not having sex with
them it wasn’t so bad.”

17.  “I have standards, I’d never be with anyone
under 5 years old.”

18.  “Adam Walsh is the Anti-Christ.”

19.  “She was really flirting with me, you
know how kids play ‘sex’.”

20.  “Most kids are starving in Russia. They
probably feed them good to keep them
healthy.”

21.  How Can Victim Behavior Present a Problem to
Prosecutors, Law Enforcement, and
Investigators?
 What May Be Counter-Intuitive About their
Behaviors?
 What Are Some Reasons for These Behaviors?

22.  Cross et al. (2003) 94% Conviction Rate
 N = 486 Walsh and Wolak (2005) Adolescent
Victim
 91% Conviction
 77% by Guilty Plea
 14% Trial Conviction (no difference in Jury or Judge)
 3% Acquittal
 46% of Victims Perceived by Law Enforcement to be
In Love with or Feel a Close Friendship with the
Offender

23.  No Difference in Case Outcomes Related to:
 Whether the Victim Was Met Online or In Person
 Whether the Offender Was in Possession of Child
Pornography
 Whether the Victim Willingly Engaged in Sexual
Contact
 Whether the Victim Was Cooperative in Prosecution

24.  Difference in Case Outcomes Related to 3 Factors:
 Lack of Honesty Affecting Victim Credibility
 (Conversely, admitting illegal behavior is a positive factor)
 If Truthfulness is an issue = 71% Conviction
 If Not an issue = 95% Conviction
 Was the Victim Given Drugs and Alcohol
 Yes = 81% Conviction
 No = 96% Conviction
 Did the Offender Confess?
 Yes = 100% Conviction
 No = 81% Conviction

25. “Jack” Revisited: 2:00

26.  Hebert (2009), Hanson (2002), Jones (2000):
• 60% - 80% of Victims of Childhood Sexual Assault
Delay Reporting Until Adulthood
 Hebert (2009):
• 21% Never Disclose
• 58% of Victims Delayed Disclosure
for 5+ years
 McAlinden (2006), London (2008):
• 3% - 12% of Offenses are Detected and Reported
• 5% - 13% “

27.  Sexually assaulted a 15 year old female at age
30 over a period of weeks, providing drugs.
 17:00

28. Shame
Guilt
Fear
Embarrassment
“Love”
Familial Duty
“Black and White” Thinking
Victims are a Product of the Method of Grooming

29.  Seto Studies and Countering Defense Experts
 Shifting the “target group” (suicide among
depressed patients)

30. EDUCATION! EDUCATION! EDUCATION!
Of the Court
Of the Victim

31. Education of Courts and Victims
Discussion
&
Questions
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THANK YOU!!!