Victim empathy in youth sex offenders
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University of Pretoria
Abstract
A comprehensive literature review and consultations with experts in the field of youth
sex offending indicated that there is a dearth of knowledge pertaining to victim
empathy of youth sex offenders, especially within the South African context. The
goal of this study was to measure, describe and compare the prevalence of victim
empathy in youth sex offenders. To achieve the goal of the study, the mixed
methods approach was followed. Quantitative data was collected by means of a
questionnaire and qualitative data was obtained by means of semi-structured
interviews. The questionnaires were completed by 96 sentenced youth sex offenders
from three Youth Correctional Centres (YCCs). Subsequently interviews were
conducted with each of the research participants.
The questionnaire measured the prevalence of empathy for a general sexual abuse
victim as well as own victim empathy in youth sex offenders. Comparisons were
made between the two types of empathy and in the quantitative section of this study
it was found that the research participants displayed significantly less empathy for
their own victims when compared to their levels of empathy for a general sexual
abuse victim.
During the qualitative interviews, in-depth information was obtained regarding the
youth sex offenders thoughts prior to, during and after the offence was committed.
Their current feelings for the victims were also explored. The divergent responses
obtained, is an indication of the heterogeneous nature of youth sex offending. Most
research participants indicated that they did not think about the impact of the offence
on the victim prior to, or during the committing of the offence, due to being under the
influence of substances, viewing the victim as a willing participant, being impulsive,
having feelings of self-entitlement or impunity, or due to the influence of peers. Most
of the research participants acknowledged that directly after the victimisation
occurred, they were afraid of the consequences of their actions and feared
punishment, but did not necessarily consider the feelings of the victim. When
explaining their current feelings, various research participants indicated that they
were remorseful and would like to ask their victims for forgiveness. However, some still failed to accept responsibility and blamed circumstances such as being under
the influence of substances or being influenced by peers.
Lastly, the research participants were asked about their attendance of correctional
programmes in the YCCs and whether these programmes contained an empathy
component. Most of the participants indicated that the Sex Offender Programmes
which they attended did not have an empathy component and did not focus on the
influence that rape had on the victim. Only a small number indicated that the
programmes which they attended focussed on the victim. However, it was clear from
their explanations that the main focus was on general sexual abuse victim empathy
and not on own victim empathy. Considering the results of this study, as well as
literature pertaining to the subject, it is evident that programmes should focus on own
victim empathy, as that is where the most prominent deficits are displayed.
Description
Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Keywords
UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Coetzee, L 2016, Victim empathy in youth sex offenders, DPhil Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/53395>