Citation

Smid WJ, Wever EC. Sex. Abuse 2018; ePub(ePub): 1079063218775972.

Affiliation

Forensic Care Specialists, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1079063218775972

PMID

29779451

Abstract

Sexual offending behavior is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. Most existing etiological models describe sexual offending behavior as a variant of offending behavior and mostly include factors referring to disinhibition and sexual deviance. In this article, we argue that there is additional value in describing sexual offending behavior as sexual behavior in terms of an incentive model of sexual motivation. The model describes sexual arousal as an emotion, triggered by a competent stimulus signaling potential reward, and comparable to other emotions coupled with strong bodily reactions. Consequently, we describe sexual offending behavior in terms of this new model with emphasis on the development of deviant sexual interests and preferences. Summarized, the model states that because sexual arousal itself is an emotion, there is a bidirectional relationship between sexual self-regulation and emotional self-regulation. Not only can sex be used to regulate emotional states (i.e., sexual coping), emotions can also be used, consciously or automatically, to regulate sexual arousal (i.e., sexual deviance). Preliminary support for the model is drawn from studies in the field of sex offender research as well as sexology and motivation research.

Language: en

Keywords

etiology; incentive motivation; sex offender theory; sexual deviance; sexual interest