Differential typology and prognosis for dissexual behavior – a follow-up study of previously expert-appraised child molesters

Abstract

In terms of identifying socially-dysfunctional forms of sexuality – regardless of the legal valuation – dissexuality is defined as “an expression of social failure in sexual behavior.” This failure was the subject of a longitudinal analysis of 186 expert-appraised pedophile sexual delinquents at the University of Kiel from 1945 through 1981. Of the child molesters 121 were followed up between September 1990 and September 1992 and 100 were personally contacted. The goal was to empirically develop prognosis criteria, given knowledge of the former delinquents’ social development as well as sexual/dissexual practices, which could be of both forensic and interdisciplinary use. Among the bi- and homosexually-orientated pedophiles, the number of offenders for which the act is one of “compensation” was half of the initial collective. In contrast, this number was three-quarters for the heterosexually-orientated perpetrators. Correspondingly, the other half of the bi- and homosexually-orientated pedophiles were either exclusive-type or non-exclusive-type pedophiles (the so-called “true” pedophiles). Among the heterosexually-orientated offenders, the number was only onequarter. According to the empirical data, we may expect a biographically continuing potential of dissexual behavior for only the exclusive and the non-exclusive type of pedophilia. Most of the relapsed dissexual activities showed up a long time after the expert’s report. This is true for both the heterosexually- and the bi- and homosexually orientated groups. The present evaluation of the results allows assignment of behavior for certain delinquent typologies restricted to life phases or lifelong dissexual behavior.