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Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine how sexual offenders explain their offending. A template of 10 reasons for offending was constructed from content analysis of the accounts of 62 sexual offenders. All 10 categories could be coded reliably. The template was then applied to 100 further sexual offenders (35 rapists and 65 child molesters), who had not yet undertaken any offence-focused interventions. Child molesters most frequently explained their offending in terms of sexual gratification, the desire to alleviate a negative emotional state or a wish to experience intimacy. Rapists attributed their offending most frequently to grievance, impulsivity or sexual need. About one-third of rapists and one-quarter of child molesters did not or could not give any explanation for their offending. Two of the categories identified—grievance and need for respect/control—could be termed cognitive schema, representing underlying views about the self, others and the world. The explanations offered overlapped considerably with known dynamic risk factors for sexual offending. This contrasts with the stereotype that sexual offenders will typically deny or justify their offending when asked to account for it.