- Sex abuse by women 'ignored'
- By Janelle Miles
- The Australian
- 02/05/2006 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: admin ( 61 articles in 2006 )
WOMEN who sexually abuse children can have a devastating impact on their victims, yet the problem is largely ignored by society, an Australian researcher says.
Psychologist Rebecca Deering, of Melbourne's Deakin University, studied the issue as part of her PhD, finding victims frequently suffer ongoing sexual problems and depression.
She said the impact was similar to that experienced by victims of male sex abusers.
But Dr Deering said sex abuse by women was often viewed, even by some health professionals, as less significant than that perpetrated by men.
"My study found health professionals were less likely to believe a child's allegation if it was a female perpetrator compared to if it was a male," she said.
"They also believed that the impact would be less serious if the perpetrator was a female."
Dr Deering surveyed 15 adults, nine of them men, who were sexually abused before the age of 16 by women.
Her research is believed to be the first such study in Australia looking at the impact of female child sex abusers and one of only a few done internationally.
She said three of the victims she surveyed had chosen to live a life of celibacy because of their experiences.
Other problems included self-medicating by drinking excessively, self-harm and feelings of wanting to kill themselves.
Dr Deering said the victims expressed anger and frustration towards society for ignoring their plight.
"People spoke about having told someone earlier on in their lives and having either been mocked and denied that it was anything serious, or disbelieved," she said.
"That was therefore a lesson to remain silent after that."
Despite the existence of sex abuser programs in men's prisons, Dr Deering said she knew of only one such treatment program for women and that was in the United Kingdom.
She said the female perpetrators in the cases she looked at included family members, teachers and friends of the family.
Such women often go unpunished because they are not reported or they receive relatively lenient sentences in the courts.
Dr Deering said inappropriate affection or sexual contact between a woman and child under the age of 16 was commonly considered an act of seduction and romanticised rather than treated as abuse.
"There's so much bravado and if you've having sex with an older woman then it's really seen as your step into manhood," she said.
"For a young man it's really confusing because if there is something they disliked about the experience, society is telling them that they can't really say anything because they'd be seen as a bit weird if they did.
"We need to treat these cases seriously. Victims need to be able to come out and let somebody know what's going on.
"We can't be lenient and let female perpetrators off just because of their gender."
Dr Deering said research overseas had estimated 20 per cent of child sex abuse was perpetrated by women.
She said the impact was similar to that experienced by victims of male sex abusers.
But Dr Deering said sex abuse by women was often viewed, even by some health professionals, as less significant than that perpetrated by men.
"My study found health professionals were less likely to believe a child's allegation if it was a female perpetrator compared to if it was a male," she said.
"They also believed that the impact would be less serious if the perpetrator was a female."
Dr Deering surveyed 15 adults, nine of them men, who were sexually abused before the age of 16 by women.
Her research is believed to be the first such study in Australia looking at the impact of female child sex abusers and one of only a few done internationally.
She said three of the victims she surveyed had chosen to live a life of celibacy because of their experiences.
Other problems included self-medicating by drinking excessively, self-harm and feelings of wanting to kill themselves.
Dr Deering said the victims expressed anger and frustration towards society for ignoring their plight.
"People spoke about having told someone earlier on in their lives and having either been mocked and denied that it was anything serious, or disbelieved," she said.
"That was therefore a lesson to remain silent after that."
Despite the existence of sex abuser programs in men's prisons, Dr Deering said she knew of only one such treatment program for women and that was in the United Kingdom.
She said the female perpetrators in the cases she looked at included family members, teachers and friends of the family.
Such women often go unpunished because they are not reported or they receive relatively lenient sentences in the courts.
Dr Deering said inappropriate affection or sexual contact between a woman and child under the age of 16 was commonly considered an act of seduction and romanticised rather than treated as abuse.
"There's so much bravado and if you've having sex with an older woman then it's really seen as your step into manhood," she said.
"For a young man it's really confusing because if there is something they disliked about the experience, society is telling them that they can't really say anything because they'd be seen as a bit weird if they did.
"We need to treat these cases seriously. Victims need to be able to come out and let somebody know what's going on.
"We can't be lenient and let female perpetrators off just because of their gender."
Dr Deering said research overseas had estimated 20 per cent of child sex abuse was perpetrated by women.
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