Understanding Namibian child sex offenders
Data key to investigations and effective rehabilitation programmes for offenders
Conducting high-quality research is pivotal to the establishment of evidence-based approaches and policies aimed at addressing this social plague.
Sexual abuse of children is a serious concern in Namibia. Mass media is awash with incidences of the plague. The recent cases of the rape and murder of two young girls in Okahandja are such examples. These incidences sparked a staggering wave of dismay, with many Namibians asking, “What kind of a person is capable of committing such a heartless act on a child?” Driven by my inherent curiosity to understand the dark side of human behaviour, my doctorate studies zoomed in on the profile of Namibian adult child sex offenders.
The study examined 183 adult males incarcerated in correctional facilities across Namibia for child sexual abuse. The results of the study revealed that a typical child sex offender in Namibia is characteristically a single, average-aged 30-year-old with a primary education level and no history of criminal conviction.
Although most of the offenders were employed, they had low-income-earning jobs such as farm labourers and casual construction workers. Child sex offenders predominately assaulted female victims who they were not biologically related to but were acquainted with.
Generally, the examination of the criminal behaviour of the offender displayed prior to, during and post-assault, as well as strategies applied to select or gain access to the victim, sheds light on the motivation behind the child sexual abuse.
Types of offenders
Analysis of Namibia child sex offenders’ sexual behaviour showed that offenders predominately engaged in vaginal and anal penetration for female and male children. They also demonstrated little evidence of grooming and obtained access to the children through promises of giving them money or something nice.
These behaviours signal criminality rather than sexual attraction towards children.
This type of offender belongs to a category referred to as 'criminally motivated child sex offenders'. Unlike paedophilic-motivated child sex offenders, criminal-motivated child sexual offenders are not necessarily attracted to children’s physical or psychological characteristics. Their abusive behaviour towards children is mainly due to their inability to adequately deal with challenges of everyday life, such as economic pressure and difficulties maintaining adult relationships.
Such challenges may trigger feelings of hopelessness and despair, resulting in the offender experiencing a temporary departure from attraction to adults.
However, the mere presence of an inability to adequately manage life challenges is not always adequate to stimulate criminal coping. For the sexual assault to occur, other critical conditions must be present, particularly antisocial cognitions and opportunity. It is theorised that antisocial cognitions facilitate sexual abuse behaviour when the opportunities arise. Consequently, sexual abuse of children may be a symbolic displacement of aggression and violence facilitated by the existence of antisocial cognitions.
Lethal types
During the course of the study, the researcher came across a case in which the perpetration of sexual abuse of a child escalated to murder.
In another case, the sexual violence occurred after the murder of the child. Both cases were excluded from the study, as these types of child sex offenders presented unique criminal profiles from those who do not murder their victims.
Child sexual offenders who murder their victims are likely to have maladaptive personality traits such as antisocial, borderline personality, or psychopathy, which may co-exist with other disorders, including paraphilias. Child sex offenders with the co-occurrence of atypical sexual preferences and psychopathy, though quite rare, are the most lethal type of child sex offenders.
It is important to recognise that child sex offenders are a diverse group, and there is a need to understand their criminal profiles.
The gathering of such information has significant implications for the investigation, assessment and development of effective rehabilitation programmes for offenders, as well as guiding the developing of preventative and self-protective programmes for children.
Much like in other cases involving deviance, the development of strategic and sustainable approaches to sexual crimes against children requires collaborative effort from different key players such as policymakers, law enforcement agencies, academics and researchers. Conducting high-quality research is pivotal to the establishment of evidence-based approaches and policies aimed at addressing this social plague.
*Ndeyapo Emma Nafuka holds a PhD in psychology with a specialisation in forensic psychology.
She is the head of the Directorate of Rehabilitation in the Namibian Correctional Service. This article is written in her personal capacity.
The study examined 183 adult males incarcerated in correctional facilities across Namibia for child sexual abuse. The results of the study revealed that a typical child sex offender in Namibia is characteristically a single, average-aged 30-year-old with a primary education level and no history of criminal conviction.
Although most of the offenders were employed, they had low-income-earning jobs such as farm labourers and casual construction workers. Child sex offenders predominately assaulted female victims who they were not biologically related to but were acquainted with.
Generally, the examination of the criminal behaviour of the offender displayed prior to, during and post-assault, as well as strategies applied to select or gain access to the victim, sheds light on the motivation behind the child sexual abuse.
Types of offenders
Analysis of Namibia child sex offenders’ sexual behaviour showed that offenders predominately engaged in vaginal and anal penetration for female and male children. They also demonstrated little evidence of grooming and obtained access to the children through promises of giving them money or something nice.
These behaviours signal criminality rather than sexual attraction towards children.
This type of offender belongs to a category referred to as 'criminally motivated child sex offenders'. Unlike paedophilic-motivated child sex offenders, criminal-motivated child sexual offenders are not necessarily attracted to children’s physical or psychological characteristics. Their abusive behaviour towards children is mainly due to their inability to adequately deal with challenges of everyday life, such as economic pressure and difficulties maintaining adult relationships.
Such challenges may trigger feelings of hopelessness and despair, resulting in the offender experiencing a temporary departure from attraction to adults.
However, the mere presence of an inability to adequately manage life challenges is not always adequate to stimulate criminal coping. For the sexual assault to occur, other critical conditions must be present, particularly antisocial cognitions and opportunity. It is theorised that antisocial cognitions facilitate sexual abuse behaviour when the opportunities arise. Consequently, sexual abuse of children may be a symbolic displacement of aggression and violence facilitated by the existence of antisocial cognitions.
Lethal types
During the course of the study, the researcher came across a case in which the perpetration of sexual abuse of a child escalated to murder.
In another case, the sexual violence occurred after the murder of the child. Both cases were excluded from the study, as these types of child sex offenders presented unique criminal profiles from those who do not murder their victims.
Child sexual offenders who murder their victims are likely to have maladaptive personality traits such as antisocial, borderline personality, or psychopathy, which may co-exist with other disorders, including paraphilias. Child sex offenders with the co-occurrence of atypical sexual preferences and psychopathy, though quite rare, are the most lethal type of child sex offenders.
It is important to recognise that child sex offenders are a diverse group, and there is a need to understand their criminal profiles.
The gathering of such information has significant implications for the investigation, assessment and development of effective rehabilitation programmes for offenders, as well as guiding the developing of preventative and self-protective programmes for children.
Much like in other cases involving deviance, the development of strategic and sustainable approaches to sexual crimes against children requires collaborative effort from different key players such as policymakers, law enforcement agencies, academics and researchers. Conducting high-quality research is pivotal to the establishment of evidence-based approaches and policies aimed at addressing this social plague.
*Ndeyapo Emma Nafuka holds a PhD in psychology with a specialisation in forensic psychology.
She is the head of the Directorate of Rehabilitation in the Namibian Correctional Service. This article is written in her personal capacity.
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