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Sexual child abuse in a defined Swedish area 1993-97: a population-based survey
A Carlstedt1, A Forsman, H Soderstrom
1Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Göteborg University, Sweden. anita.carlstedt@rmv.se
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|August 15, 2001
Summary
This study analyzed convicted sexual child abuse cases in Sweden, finding most perpetrators were known to the child, with severe offenses often occurring within families. The data provides insights into legally processed child sexual abuse cases.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Forensic Psychology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Research on child sexual abuse (CSA) often faces methodological challenges like recall bias and referral bias.
- Utilizing conviction data offers a more objective approach to studying CSA, focusing on legally ascertained cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics of convicted sexual child abuse cases in a defined Swedish population.
- To analyze crime details, perpetrator demographics, and sanctioning outcomes in CSA cases.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of all convicted sexual child abuse cases in Sweden's Västra Götaland region from 1993-1997.
- Data extraction from court dossiers for cases involving minors under 15 years old.
- Focus on ascertained cases to minimize methodological biases.
Main Results:
- 203 CSA cases were identified, involving 283 victims and 196 male perpetrators.
- Girls constituted 85% of victims; sexual penetration occurred in 54.5% of cases.
- Most perpetrators (72%) were known to the child, with severe offenses concentrated within families.
Conclusions:
- Conviction data provides a reliable snapshot of legally processed CSA, though it represents a fraction of all cases.
- Perpetrator familiarity and familial context are significant factors in severe CSA.
- Findings are specific to Swedish legislation and the studied period.