Offence characteristics of psychotic men who sexually assault women

Very little is known about the nature of serious sex offences against women by psychotic men. This study aimed to examine such offences by carrying out a search of Home Office records for all 80 male restricted hospital order in-patients with schizophrenia, resident in any hospital in England and Wales during May 1997, with an index conviction for a contact sex offence against a woman, committed whilst psychotic. Offences peaked in the afternoon, but were proportionally distributed according to day and month. Most (47/59%) offences occurred indoors, with over half of these in the victim's home. Assailants were strangers in 49 (61%) offences. Offences involving strangers were more likely to occur outdoors and without any preceding social interaction compared to those involving assailants known to their victims. Offenders' speech tended to be impersonal, with little attempt at intimacy. Offence sexual behaviours were: breast/genital fondling 63 (79%), vaginal intercourse 42 (52%), fellatio eight (10%), anal intercourse seven (9%), and cunnilingus six (8%). Excessive violence or bizarre behaviour occurred in a minority of offences. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature on sex offences by men without mental illness. The data do not support anecdotal or popular images that most psychotic sex attackers behave in an exceptionally violent or bizarre manner.