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Mike Pozesny Ph.D.(ABD), M.Sc.R-CPCT, MRT, CAMS

Sexual Interests and Rapist’s Modus OperandiProfiling - Week 3

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Introduction

• Examine the sexual interests of rapists– Level of organization – Level of force– Level of injury to the victim

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Use of Offender Profiling

• Uses crime scene characteristics• Generates information about behaviors• Narrows suspects• Aids in apprehension

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1. Fictional media glamorization2. Developed and used by agencies reluctant

to scrutiny of other practices3. Circular rationale that justifies it because

it is being used

Net result – we must link profile to MO to have anything of value

Why is profiling such a hot topic?

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Sexual Fantasy and Offending Behavior

• Sexual fantasies are important to understanding the criminal– Complex organizing function in the criminal– Determines verbal interactions– Preferred sexual acts– Ritualistic patterns– Transformation from fantasy to actual

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Predatory Sex Offenders

• More organized• More elaborate• More likely to report planning• Better content similarity with fantasy• Fantasy more related to aggression fantasy

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Phallometric Asessment

• Penile responses need at least a 10% factor• 3mm• Uses a circumferential transducer• Mercury-in-rubber strain gauge• Electrical conductance is measured• Audiotapes and other stimuli

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Avery-Clark and Laws Scale (1984)

• Three categories of force– No force– Minimal force– Force greater than necessary

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Avery-Clark and Laws Scale (1984)

• Damage to Victim– No damage– Slight damage no weapon– Slight damage with weapon– Victim treated and released– Victim treated with at least 1 night stay– Victim death– Victim death with post-mortem mutilation

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Ressler Index for Organization

• Use of a weapon• Use of physical restraints• Crime duration of more than 30 minutes• Victim forced to commit acts on the offender• Offender committing coital and non-coital acts

on the victim• Victim humiliation

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Predictor Blocks

• Sexual interests– People allege porn is the root of rapes being

committed

• Situational variables– Alcohol– Drugs– Pornography use– Negative emotional states

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Analysis

• Nonsexual violence is related to the scale of organization of the assault

• Use of porn prior to the crime negatively related to the use of force and level of injury

• If assault is well organized the level of force on victim is increased

• If assault is well organized the level of injury on victim is increased

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Analysis

• Nonsexual violence index positively linked to the scale of the level of organization of the sexual assault

• If the use of pornography and a negative emotional state are linked, the level of organization increases – state of mind affects pornography impacts

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Analysis

• Use of alcohol prior to the crime positively related to scale of use of force during sexual assault.

• None of routine sexual deviant interests are significantly related to the level of injury but use of porn and emotional state were.

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Analysis

• Pornography use is related to sexual preoccupation but can be associated with lower antisocial tendencies and lower violence rates?

• Alcohol a disinhibiting factor in sexual assaults leading to greater use of force and victim injury

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Analysis

• Negative emotional state greater determinant of level of injury on the victim

• Anger increases the arousal level to coercive sexual stimuli

• Sexual interests not tied as closely to rapes as originally thought.

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Sexual interests

• Fantasy sequencing• Behavioral try-outs• Self-masturbatory fantasies in sequence• “May be” conditioning models for sexual

arousal, may contain sadistic fantasies, which then need high levels of violence to reach sexual satisfaction.

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Sexual interests

• Rapists engage in rape behavior because of the cues associated with the act. They are arousing and optimally rewarding.

• Sexual interest for nonsexual violence is a good predictor of sexual sadism.

• Sadism can then predict characteristics of level of organization of the assault

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Sadistic Rapists

• Sexual assaults have been fantasized about• Premeditated• Include humiliating the victim (generally)• Use a weapon• Use physical restraints• Commit intrusive sexual acts• Utilize a longer crime time phase

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Conclusion

• Examined role of sexual interests and situational factors on three aspects of the rapist’s MO– Level of organization– Level of force– Level of injury

• Examined sexual arousal

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Conclusion

• Examined use of alcohol• Examined pornography impacts• Direct link between sexual deviance and rapist

MO not clearly defined• Modest link between nonsexual violence

attraction and level of organization of offender

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Conclusion

• Examined use of alcohol• Examined pornography impacts• Direct link between sexual deviance and rapist

MO not clearly defined• Modest link between nonsexual violence

attraction and level of organization of offender

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Conclusion

• Search warrants– Violent pornography– Detective magazines– Evidence of nonsexual violence– Preponderance of specificity– Domestic ecology

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Conclusion

• Criminal profiling process:– Rely less on study of the offender– More on the event– Combination analysis of offender, event, and

victim

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Thank you for your kind attention!

Any questions?