Female Sex Offenders

Sex Crimes is an issue that is on ever parents mind, they watch were their kids at all times and worry about everyone who is around their child at all times. One of the biggest stereotypes of child sexual offenses is that all offenders are men and that is not the truth.

The majority of attention on sex crimes focuses on men as the offenders; an increased awareness of females as sex offenders has surfaced in recent years. Highly publicized cases involving inappropriate and illegal sexual contact between female high school teachers and their male students are a primary source of this growing attention. These cases are not representative of the full nature or scope of sexual abuse committed by females, however, and they have the potential to promote myths and misperceptions about the broader issue of female-perpetrated sex crimes.

A research done by Snyder and Sickmund in 2006 says that females are responsible for 3% of forcible rape cases, 5% of other violent sex offenses, and 19% of non-violent sex offenses. Nationwide approximately 140,000 men are incarcerated for sex offenses and only 1,500 are estimated to be imprisoned for these offenses.

Are Female Sex Offenders Different Than Males?

Just like all other crime suspects both male and female offenders have very similar features. They both show poor coping skills, relationship difficulties, cognitive distortions, and victim empathy deficits.
Even though they have things in common there are differences such as females are more likely to have a victimization history, females more likely to offend with a co-operating male offender, females more likely to offend in care giving situations, females are more likely to forcibly rape someone of the own sex rather than opposite sex

The treatment for female sex offenders is very similar to the treatment program for males. The only differences are they try harder to establish a trusting relationship, promote autonomy, develop a positive self-conception, and try harder to reduce self destructive behaviors.

The community supervision after the release is very similar to that of a released male offender. They both must register under Megans Law and must also report to all authorities in the surrounding area.

In all the surfacing of female sex offenders is showing society that all stereotypes are not 100% correct and the treatment and punishment should not just be built around males but also around females.





References:
Center for Sex Offender Management
Female Sex Offenders, March 2007

Female Sex Offenders
http://www.healing4women.com/media/Female%20Sex%20Offenders%20-%20Duncan%202007.pdf

Chemical castration.

Chemical castration is a form of punishment and rehabilitation for criminals such as child molesters, rapists and other sex offenders. The first known use was in 1944 with the drug called diethylstilbestrol, which was used to lower male testosterone. The use of chemicals to castrate differs than normal castration where the testes are actually removed. Chemical castration is the use of a chemical called cyproterone or the birth-control drug Depo-Provera. When used by men, these drugs can reduce sex drive, compulsive sexual fantasies, and capacity for sexual arousal.

An experiment done by P. Gagne on 48 males, in which they were to undergo 12 months of medroxyprogesterone acetate, a form of chemical castration was such a success that the researchers asked for it to be a legal form of punishment. After their 12 month period all showed signs of decreased sexual needs, sexual fantasies, and greater control over their sex drives. The research also showed that after the procedure had finished the men still showed signs of decreasing sexual desires; the males still did not show any signs of adverse side effects.

Many individuals and groups have fought against the chemical castration idea noting that it violates the 8th and 14th amendment. They say it violates the 8th amendment of cruel and unusual punishment when the chemical castration is ordered for an offender and the offender in-turn loses the chance of procreation. They also state that it’s a violation of the 14th amendment of due process of law. The argue that this procedure is disproportionate because this process falls mostly on males.

Nine states in the United States have used the chemical castration process; California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin. California was the first state to use chemical castration as a punishment for sex offenders. They used in cases where the victim was under the age of 13. Judges in California may require the offender to undergo chemical castration after their first offense, but after their second offense the procedure is mandatory

I do agree with this form of punishment, after looking at the research to this procedure it seems to me that it would work. I do believe it needs to be well mandated and similar to other harsh punishments the guilt of the offender needs to be proven without a doubt. With sexual offending becoming such a threat to our society and the ever changing desires of certain individuals we need to find a way to help offenders before they offend. That being so hard I do believe this procedure is a good idea and needs to be looked into for some offender’s punishment.