Understanding the Sexual Victimization of Child and Elder Victims under the Lens of Interactional Victimology: A Routine Activities Theory Approach

Abstract

This study aims to further our understanding of sexual victimization using the routine activities theory (RAT) framework. Specifically, this study compared offenders’ motivations as well as victims’ vulnerability, inertia, gratifiability, and accessibility in elder, child, and younger adult victims. The sample used in this study consists of 931 cases of extrafamilial sexual assaults that occurred in France. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the differences between the cases involving child (n = 193), adult (n = 500), and elder victims (n = 238). First, findings indicate that offenders do not present different motivations depending on the type of victim. Second, analyses suggest that child and elder victims presented similar patterns of suitability in comparison to adult victims. Finally, results show that for both child and elder victims, accessibility represents a major obstacle but manifested differently. Theoretical and practical implications as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Routine activities theory
• sexual victimization
• child abuse
• elder abuse
• comparison

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Mr. the Police Chief of the French Central Office for the Repression of Violences against Persons (Office Central de Répression des Violences aux Personnes) and Mr the Central Director of the French Judicial Police (Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire).

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The SeSaS is a tool composed of 11 items to assess sexual sadism from crime scene behaviors. Total scores can range from 0 to a maximum of 11, with a cut-off score of 4 or above indicating the presence of sexual sadism.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julien Chopin

Julien Chopin, PhD, is an associate member of the Terrorism, Violence and Security Institute Research Centre in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University, and a senior researcher at the International Centre for Comparative Criminology at the University of Montréal. He is also an adjunct professor at the School of Social Work and Criminology of Laval University. Dr. Chopin has published extensively in the areas of sexual offending, homicide, victimology and theories.

Eric Beauregard

Eric Beauregard, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. He has worked as a criminologist for Correctional Service of Canada where he assessed more than 1,200 sex offenders. Dr. Beauregard has developed an expertise in the research on sexual violence and sexual homicide and he has provided training to law enforcement agencies nationally and internationally.