HEWLETT-PACKARD
Bachelor Thesis
Do victims of sexual child abuse become adult
abusers?
14-5-2015
Maastricht University
Student number:
Supervisor:
Faculty: Psychology and Neuroscience
Word count: 5477
,Table of contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3
2. Methods .................................................................................................................................. 5
3. Results .................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Violence and aggression in general .................................................................................. 5
3.2 Child physical abuse ......................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Child sexual abuse ............................................................................................................ 9
3.3.1 Cycle of sexual abuse ............................................................................................... 11
4. Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 13
5. Appendix .............................................................................................................................. 16
Reference list ............................................................................................................................ 17
1
, Abstract
This study examines whether victims of sexual childhood abuse will become adult abusers, also
will be looked at the risk factors and protective factors that may contribute in the development
of becoming an adult abuser. A literature review was done to test this hypothesis. It was found
that, although physically abused children often exhibit physical abuse towards their own
children, sexual child abusers do not always display a history of sexual abuse. This means that,
experiencing sexual abuse would not necessarily lead to becoming an adult sex offender and
thus would not be sufficient to cause adult sex offending. Furthermore, this could suggests that
other factors also play a role in the development, such as age at onset of the abuse, the number
of abusers and the duration of abuse play an important role.
2
Bachelor Thesis
Do victims of sexual child abuse become adult
abusers?
14-5-2015
Maastricht University
Student number:
Supervisor:
Faculty: Psychology and Neuroscience
Word count: 5477
,Table of contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3
2. Methods .................................................................................................................................. 5
3. Results .................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Violence and aggression in general .................................................................................. 5
3.2 Child physical abuse ......................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Child sexual abuse ............................................................................................................ 9
3.3.1 Cycle of sexual abuse ............................................................................................... 11
4. Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 13
5. Appendix .............................................................................................................................. 16
Reference list ............................................................................................................................ 17
1
, Abstract
This study examines whether victims of sexual childhood abuse will become adult abusers, also
will be looked at the risk factors and protective factors that may contribute in the development
of becoming an adult abuser. A literature review was done to test this hypothesis. It was found
that, although physically abused children often exhibit physical abuse towards their own
children, sexual child abusers do not always display a history of sexual abuse. This means that,
experiencing sexual abuse would not necessarily lead to becoming an adult sex offender and
thus would not be sufficient to cause adult sex offending. Furthermore, this could suggests that
other factors also play a role in the development, such as age at onset of the abuse, the number
of abusers and the duration of abuse play an important role.
2
