Peer-reviewed article
Online Sexual Offending Against Children: Recidivism Rates and Predictors
Sarah Paquette, Sébastien Brouillette‐Alarie ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study analyzed recidivism rates and risk factors among 228 adult males who committed online child sexual exploitation offenses. The research identified offense-supportive cognitions and emotional congruence with children as predictors of contact sexual recidivism. Consumption of child sexual abuse material and bestiality pornography were associated with online recidivism but negatively associated with contact sexual recidivism. The findings suggest that risk factors for online and contact sexual offenses differ and require tailored intervention strategies.
Key points
- Offense-supportive cognitions predicted contact sexual recidivism (Harrell's C = .73-.75)
- Emotional congruence with children predicted contact sexual recidivism (Harrell's C = .77)
- Consumption of child sexual exploitation material predicted online sexual recidivism (.69)
- Consumption of bestiality pornography predicted online sexual recidivism (.75)
- Risk factors for online and contact sexual offenses show different patterns, requiring differentiated interventions
Limitations
The study analyzed only adult males and did not include outcome data on intervention effectiveness, so it cannot tell us which specific prevention or treatment strategies reduce recidivism. The cross-sectional or retrospective nature of the analysis limits causal inferences about risk factors.
Abstract
Recidivism among individuals who have sexually offended poses a significant public health and safety concern. It is crucial to assess the predictive validity of traditional risk factors in individuals engaged in online child exploitation. This study examines recidivism rates and risk factors among individuals involved in online child sexual exploitation, analyzing data from a sample of 228 adult males who had committed sexual and nonsexual offenses at their index crime. The findings suggest that offense-supportive cognitions (Harrell's C = .73-.75) and emotional congruence with children (Harrell's C = .77) serve as predictors for contact sexual recidivism. Consumption of child sexual exploitation material and bestiality pornography are linked to online sexual recidivism (.69 and .75, respectively) and negatively related to sexual recidivism (.29 and .32, respectively). Overall, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of recidivism patterns and risk factors among individuals engaged in online sexual offenses against children, emphasizing the need for tailored intervention strategies in this population.