Female Crime and Sex Offender

Question 1

Female Crime: Sex Differences

Answer 1

females lack “biological manliness”: heart rate is higher (explains 25% of sex difference), testosterone is lower, orbital + middle brain vol in APD ppl is 50% lower in females

Question 2

Female Prostitution

Answer 2

experiences: 57% sexually abused as kid, 50% physically assaulted as kid, 83% threatened w weapon at work, 68% raped at work, 68% PTSD, 88% want to leave

high mortality rates: stds, drugs, murdered (by serial killers esp)

3 main risk factors: sex abuse, running away, drug use

only 20% “recruited”

much higher odds if you were neglected/had sexual abuse as a kid

20% do it for fun, 80% for money

SES varies

Question 3

Sex Offenders: Rapists

Answer 3

statutory rape: under 16 and adult

24% take place in marriage, 44.5% reported, 18.3% of women in lifetime, 50% by intimate partner, 80% before 25

adolescent males commit 20-30% of rapes and 30-50% of child molestations

typologies: displaced aggression (following upset), compensatory (trying to prove themselves), sexual-aggressive (enjoy resistance/struggle), impulsive (unplanned, opportunistic)
causes: feminist theory (men have authority over women), social history (they were once victimized), sociobiology (rape is ultimate cheating strategy)

Question 4

Sex Offenders: Sadists

Answer 4

base rate: 10-50%

men have greater amygdala response to sexual stimuli, sadists have greater activation to pain stimuli

Question 5

Sex Offenders: Pedophiles

Answer 5

huge stigma

childhood sex interaction w children -> adult interest in child sex

reduced amygdala vol in pedophiles vs health controls, also in pedophiles vs offender controls