Lethal outcome in elderly sexual violence: Escalation or different intent?

E. Beauregard, J. Chopin, J. Winter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: The study examines violent sexual offenses against elderly victims that resulted in either serious injuries or death and explore whether certain components of the crime-commission process explain the different outcomes. The study investigates the question of whether a lethal outcome in elderly sexual assaults is the result of an escalation in violence or a different intent. Methods: Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 199 offenders convicted of a violent sexual offense against an elderly woman that resulted in either severe physical injury (n = 145) or death (n = 54) of the victim. Results: Results showed that violent sexual offenses ending with the death of the victim were more likely to be characterized by the use of a weapon, foreign object insertion, and the taking of items belonging to the victim. Violent sexual offenses ending with serious physical injuries were characterized by the presence of penetration (anally and vaginally) as well as ejaculation in or on the victim. Conclusions: Differences observed between the two groups suggest that offenders who killed the victims had the intent do so compared to those offenders who inflicted several physical injuries. Practical implications of the findings are discussed
Original languageEnglish
Article number101704
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Criminal Justice
Volume71
Early online dateJun 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
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 Mrs. the Central Director of the French Judicial Police (Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire). Grant. Authors want to acknowledge the Swiss National Science Foundation who kindly supported this research (Fund no. P400PS_190994).

Funding Information:
Authors want to acknowledge the Swiss National Science Foundation who kindly supported this research (Fund no. P400PS_190994 ).

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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