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Regressed Child Molesters

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Introduction 

A child molester is a term that is used by both professionals and nonprofessionals, including law enforcement officers. Although Webster’s New World Dictionary defines molestation as an “act to annoy, interfere with, or meddle with to cause trouble or harm,” when used in conjunction with the word child, it has come to mean sexual abuse of some sort. The term child molester is more likely to conform to a legal definition of sexual molestation outlined in the penal code for law enforcement officers2. A child molester is a significantly older person who engages in any type of sexual activity with people who are legally considered children. There will be no distinctions made between male and female child molesters, single or repeat offenders, violent or nonviolent offenders when using the term child molester. Whether the child victims are prepubescent or pubescent, known or unknown, related or unrelated to the offender, no distinction will be made. Finally, there will be no distinctions made based on the type of sexual activity that the offender engages in. While such distinctions may have legal and evaluation implications, they have no bearing on whether or not a person is labelled a child molester. A child molester is defined by law enforcement as someone who engages in illegal sexual activity with children.

There were two types of child molesters: regressed and fixated. Classic psychodynamic theory gives us the terms “fixated” and “regressed.” Groth and Birnbaum coined these terms in 1978 to describe sexual offenders, and they have been used as dichotomous labels for paedophiles for decades. Sexual involvement with a child, on the other hand, is a temporary or permanent departure from the regressed offender’s more typical attraction to adults.

Regressed child offender – Meaning 

Sexual offenders who have regressed are classified as a distinct group whose primary sexual attraction is not toward children. Instead, they have a primary sexual attraction to adults, but when they are stressed, they act out sexually against children. This type of molester has low self-esteem and lacks effective coping mechanisms. When he is stressed, he will turn to children.

Molesters who are repressed frequently abuse their children or force another child to engage in sexual activity. Because of their availability, children are chosen. As a result, incestuous offenders are frequently, though not always, described in this way.

Types of Regressed Cases 

→ Incestuous fathers are commonly thought to be regressed child molesters who only molest their children, do not collect child pornography, and are best treated in noncriminal treatment programmes.

→ However, in some cases, the incestuous father appears to be a seducer or an introverted Preferential Child Molester (paedophile) who married for the sole purpose of gaining access to children.

→ He has molested children from previous marriages or children from previous marriages in many cases.

→ Such people frequently seek out women who have already given birth to children who are their age and gender preferences. Their marriages usually last only as long as the victim preference range has children.

→ In today’s more liberal society, such an offender is more likely to simply move in with the woman and her children rather than marry her. On some occasions, they simply befriend the mother and express a desire to be a “father figure” to her children rather than pretending to be romantically interested in her.

→ Another strategy is to marry a woman and either adopt or foster children. The last and least desirable strategy he employs is to have his children, which is the least desirable method because it necessitates the offender having sex with his wife and there are very few guarantees that the baby will be of the desired sex.

→ The paedophile must create a fantasy to have sexual relations with his wife. Some paedophiles have their wives dress, talk, and act in this fantasy to help them. Such paedophiles may terminate or greatly reduce sexual relations with their wives after the birth of a baby of the preferred sex. Of course, the police investigator will have a difficult time learning these facts. The majority of wives, and even ex-wives, would be embarrassed to admit to having sexual problems.

→ Other incestuous fathers are morally indiscriminate individuals who are only partially responsible for their children’s sexual abuse. They are cunning, manipulative individuals who can convincingly deny the allegations against them or claim they need “help with their problem” if the evidence is overwhelming. Their personality disorder is more serious than paedophilia, and it is likely to be more difficult to treat.


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