Salient victim suffering and the sexual responses of child molesters.

Abstract

In phallometric testing, audiovisual stimuli in which the audio component depicted a child victim's suffering described from the child's point of view were compared with similar scenarios described from the adult male offender's point of view and to portrayals of consenting adult heterosexual activity. Fifteen male participants who had sexually assaulted girls and 15 nonoffenders were also administered questionnaire measures of empathy and opinions regarding sex with children. Consistent with predictions, maximal discrimination between groups was obtained using deviance indices based on stimuli that emphasized victim trauma. Also consistent with predictions, the questionnaire measures were related to sexual deviance. Recommendations are made regarding stimuli for phallometric testing. The results point to the relevance of changing deviant preferences and enhancing empathy for the victim in the treatment of child molesters.