How and Why Sexual Assault Occurs - Essay Example

Sexual Assault Professor (Tutor) The Name of the School (University) The City and State Date Sexual Assault Crime is a common behavior in society, but its occurrence and why it is common remains a controversial issue. Different theories in criminology can help explain how and why crimes are committed. Sexual assault remains a challenge in society and the criminal justice system. The following paper aims at discussing how and why sexual assault is committed. It will rely on the theory of social learning to determine how and why sexual assault occurs. Sexual assault occurrence can be explained as a behavior that is learned through different dynamics of society. Social learning theory was developed by Albert Bandura and seeks to argue that people do not possess natural or in-born criminal behaviors, but rather learn such behavior from others. Social learning as a theory primarily focuses on children specifically how they criminal behavior is learned from society or parents. Bandura alleged that is criminal behavior was not cultured or stopped from being cultures during childhood; the person would not have a trend to offend later in life (Faupel 2015). Moreover, Bandura also used to illustrate how cognition influences development and behavior. This means that the individual feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are relations with one’s social and physical environments. Overall, social learning theory has been used to analyze criminal, aggressive, and deviant behaviors. Sexual assault can be explained as a behavior learned through the frequency, duration, relative significance, and intensity of social interactions, observations, vicarious learning, modeling, and reinforcement (Faupel 2015). Nonetheless, it is important to first investigate the basic claims used in the social learning theory. Basically, it is believed that children who have undergone sexual assault in their childhood are likely to commit sexual assault in their adulthood (Hershkowitz 2011, p.41). The second common argument is that sexually explicit content or materials influence sexual aggression or offending behavior. The first point has been studied through the effects of victimization on future abusing behavior. Nonetheless, abuse during childhood does not automatically cause sexually aggressive behaviors even with the intensity, duration, or relative significance. Sexual offenders have illustrated to have higher sexually abused experiences during their childhood than sexual abuses in the general public. Nonetheless, most of the sex offenders reviewed illustrates to not have been abused at all during their childhood (Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto 2009, p. 188). The main evidence used in most cases to support this point is that number of female children who are abused, but never turn out to be sex offenders during adulthood. Despite these facts, a considerable section of sex offenders have reported experiencing sexual abuse in their childhood. According to Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto (2009, p. 190) adult males who offend against young boys have illustrated a higher rate in being abused while they were children. Research has also illustrated that majority of the children who are abused and later become abusers are male (Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto 2009, p. 188). Based on this popular fact, research on how and why sexual assault is committed have primarily focused on males or men. Such research focuses on the male perception of sexual abuse and how it influences them in their adulthood (Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto 2009, p. 188). Furthermore, the features of the abusive experience that impacted their learning tend to create much interest. The social learning theory can help explain the process by which learning occurs as well as the main variables that help to understand whether aggressive sexual behavior patterns will be embraced (Faupel 2015). Through observation, an offender can associate behaviors with their consequences. For instance, a child who is sexually abused may internalize the abusive experience as pleasurable or normal in some way (Faupel 2015). In this case, the child has a higher likelihood to develop a belief system that is positive to sexual assault. However, this is based on the relative importance, intensity, and duration the behavior is experience. In some way, if a child is abused and they find it to be pleasurable or normal, they often believe it is the same as adults leading them to commit the crime (Faupel 2015). Moreover, it is a matter of observation as well as social interactions. Even in adulthood, the same abused person tends to believe it is normal to sexually assault children or adults (Keelan & Fremouw 2013, p. 67). In this case, sexual offenders do not need to relate or compare their beliefs to others, but rely on what they have learnt over time to make their decisions or thoughts. The idea of social learning is further reinforced by the relative importance of social interactions or observations (McGrath, Nilsen & Kerley 2011, p.491). For instance, a child may find that being abused is normal or a good thing since the perpetrator is someone who loves them, may be a parent or relative. Such children who grow up with such beliefs tend to offend later in life or even before adulthood (McGrath, Nilsen & Kerley 2011, p.490). The main result of this continuous learning is having the view that sexual assault is more pleasurable and less harmful to the victim based on their reaction to individual sexual assault during childhood. Additionally, research has also linked other factors that play a big part in the connection between being sexually assaulted and later adopting sexually aggressive behaviors. The main factors include age of experiencing sexual abuse, relationship between victim and perpetrator, type of sexual assault, intensity of force or aggression, the gender of the offender, the duration or the assault, and number of offenders (Becerra-García, et al. 2013, p. 345). From these factors, it can be determined that the younger the victim, the higher number of offenders, the longer the time of assault, the more intrusive and violent the sexual acts, the higher the likelihood of developing sexually aggressive behaviors in victims (Mancini, et al. 2014, p. 44). Another different perspective of the social learning theory is developing sexually aggressive behavior through vicarious learning or modeling from the media and other influences. In this context, media can be regarded as violent pornographic materials that tend to paint an abusive picture of men while women are on the receiving end. Although media is not limited to pornography, additional notions of women as well as their status in society can influence sexually aggressive behavior. Men are shaped or believed to be the dominant species in society or superior gender than women. According to Faupel (2015), the main reason why male violence against women persists is because it is modeled at the societal and individual levels. Domestic violence is a major contributor to sexual assault (Weldon & Gilchrist2012, p. 766). People in a relationship or simply married and tend to experience domestic violence may reportedly be sexually assaulted. Nonetheless, most women who make up the highest percentage of victims do not report such cases. In this case, men who abuse their wives’ or spouses tend to learn from modeling from the individual level and the societal level (Hamby & Turner 2013, p. 338). This means that such behavior may be developed from early childhood after witnessing domestic violence (Weldon & Gilchrist2012, p. 766). Moreover, society has also established a set of believes that tend to depict women in a sexual manner or as sexual objects. Violent pornography has the tendency to illustrate women in degrading or humiliating situations or in situations of sexual assault. These depictions can lead to an individual changing their attitudes towards women especially when it comes to sex. Moreover, women are portrayed as sex objects in most of the media that tends to influence men’s perception of women. The lack of understanding women as respectable and diligent humans has been supported through social learning. People in society socially learn through the idea of social information processing. This is the process of decoding, decide/respond, and then judge the effect. Most men who illustrate aggression against women may lack the skill required to decode messages from women. For instance, violent men or men who are constantly exposed to negative experiences of women may not understand why women wear provocatively. In such cases, men may decode a woman’s dressing as seductive or disregarding, thus assaulting the woman. In such cases, increased exposure to media and other portrayals that degrade women tend to influence individual perceptions as well as attitudes against women. Most men who are exposed to such materials tend to have reduced compassion and empathy for victims as well as accept myths on rape (Simons, Wurtele & Heil 2002, p. 1291). Another major attribute of the social learning theory in this context is learning through reinforcement. Most violent pornographic materials can illustrate rape as a pleasurable activity for both men and women. Such reinforcement offers the viewer increased beliefs and change in attitude that tend to lead to committing sexual behavior. Additionally, reinforcement also works when several viewers watch such degrading material and still find it enjoyable or normal (Felson & Lane 2009, p. 465). In such a case, issues such as peer influence or peer pressure may also lead to sexually aggressive behaviors. Other types of pornography such as child pornography also tend to teach such sexual aggression as both pleasurable and normal or acceptable (Jung, Ennis & Malesky 2012, p. 655). Just as in pornography is used to relieve people from stress or to achieve a certain goals or feeling, the same case occurs for sexual offenders who find pleasure or gratitude after committing the offence. Overall, people learn a lot from society that helps shape deviant and aggressive behaviors resulting in sexual assaults. Social learning as a theory primarily focuses on children specifically how they criminal behavior is learned from society or parents. Bandura alleged that is criminal behavior was not cultured or stopped from being cultures during childhood; the person would not have a trend to offend later in life. Moreover, Bandura also used to illustrate how cognition influences development and behavior. This means that the individual feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are relations with one’s social and physical environments. Overall, social learning theory has been used to analyze criminal, aggressive, and deviant behaviors. Sexual assault can be explained as a behavior learned through the frequency, duration, relative significance, and intensity of social interactions, observations, vicarious learning, modeling, and reinforcement. Social learning theory cannot account for the explanation behind sexual assault on its own. Nonetheless, it offers the highest and probably the best explanation of understanding how and why sexual assaults are committed. Social learning theory offers valuable insights as well as strong evidence in understanding sexual assaults. According to Faupel (2015), there is sound empirical proof that sexual assault is a learned behavior. Even supporting theories require some type of learning to become relevant or be explained. Even when it comes to controversial issues such as pornography, scholars may differ in terms of its effects, but cannot deny it has the ability to teach myths about sexual aggression or rape (Faupel 2015). The idea of social learning also introduces environmental aspects associated with sexual offending. What makes social learning a strong framework for understanding sexual assault is the ability to prove how sexual offenders develop aggressive behavior rather than the view that such behaviors are inherent or natural. Social learning as a theory also goes a long way to prove that sexual offenders can be reformed to rehabilitate. Evidence has already illustrated that sexual offenders can reform after learning new behaviors and attitudes that enable them decode women messages. One of the main criticisms of social learning theory in explaining sexual assault is the lack of sufficient evidence to illustrate that internalized attitudes or beliefs automatically result in aggressive sexual behavior (Faupel 2015). Future research should focus on investigating how children victimization tends to shape sexually aggressive behaviors. The impending challenge for such research is the lack of reliability in terms of self-reporting. Nonetheless, as illustrated, social learning theory offers a strong explanation as to how and why sexual assault is committed. References Becerra-García, JA, García-León, A, Muela-Martínez, JA, & Egan, V 2013, 'A controlled study of the Big Five personality dimensions in sex offenders, non-sex offenders and non-offenders: relationship with offending behaviour and childhood abuse', Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 233-246 Faupel, S 2015, Chapter 2: Etiology of Adult Sexual Offending | Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning Initiative, [online] Smart.gov. Available at: http://www.smart.gov/SOMAPI/sec1/ch2_etiology.html#sing_fact [Accessed 17 Jan. 2015]. Felson, RB, & Lane, KJ 2009, 'Social learning, sexual and physical abuse, and adult crime', Aggressive Behavior, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 489-501. Hamby, S, & Turner, H 2013, 'Measuring teen dating violence in males and females: Insights from the national survey of children’s exposure to violence', Psychology of Violence, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 323-339. Hershkowitz, I 2011, 'The effects of abuse history on sexually intrusive behavior by children: An analysis of child justice records', Child Abuse & Neglect, vol. 35, pp. 40-49. Jespersen, AF, Lalumière, ML, & Seto, MC 2009, 'Sexual abuse history among adult sex offenders and non-sex offenders: A meta-analysis', Child Abuse & Neglect, vol. 33, pp. 179-192. Jung, S, Ennis, L, & Malesky 2012, 'Child Pornography Offending Seen Through Three Theoretical Lenses', Deviant Behavior, vol. 33, no. 8, p. 655. Keelan, CM, & Fremouw, WJ 2013, 'Child versus peer/adult offenders: A critical review of the juvenile sex offender literature', Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol. 18, pp. 732-744. Mancini, C, Reckdenwald, A, Beauregard, E, & Levenson, JS 2014, 'Sex industry exposure over the life course on the onset and frequency of sex offending', Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 507-516. McGrath, SA, Nilsen, AA, & Kerley, KR 2011, 'Sexual victimization in childhood and the propensity for juvenile delinquency and adult criminal behavior: A systematic review', Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol. 16, pp. 485-492. Simons, D, Wurtele, SK, & Heil, P 2002, 'Childhood victimization and lack of empathy as predictors of sexual offending against women and children', Journal of Interpersonal Violence, no. 12, p. 1291. Weldon, S, & Gilchrist, E 2012, 'Implicit Theories in Intimate Partner Violence Offenders', Journal of Family Violence, vol. 27, no. 8, pp. 761-772. Read More

Despite these facts, a considerable section of sex offenders have reported experiencing sexual abuse in their childhood. According to Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto (2009, p. 190) adult males who offend against young boys have illustrated a higher rate in being abused while they were children. Research has also illustrated that majority of the children who are abused and later become abusers are male (Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto 2009, p. 188). Based on this popular fact, research on how and why sexual assault is committed have primarily focused on males or men.

Such research focuses on the male perception of sexual abuse and how it influences them in their adulthood (Jespersen, Lalumière & Seto 2009, p. 188). Furthermore, the features of the abusive experience that impacted their learning tend to create much interest. The social learning theory can help explain the process by which learning occurs as well as the main variables that help to understand whether aggressive sexual behavior patterns will be embraced (Faupel 2015). Through observation, an offender can associate behaviors with their consequences.

For instance, a child who is sexually abused may internalize the abusive experience as pleasurable or normal in some way (Faupel 2015). In this case, the child has a higher likelihood to develop a belief system that is positive to sexual assault. However, this is based on the relative importance, intensity, and duration the behavior is experience. In some way, if a child is abused and they find it to be pleasurable or normal, they often believe it is the same as adults leading them to commit the crime (Faupel 2015).

Moreover, it is a matter of observation as well as social interactions. Even in adulthood, the same abused person tends to believe it is normal to sexually assault children or adults (Keelan & Fremouw 2013, p. 67). In this case, sexual offenders do not need to relate or compare their beliefs to others, but rely on what they have learnt over time to make their decisions or thoughts. The idea of social learning is further reinforced by the relative importance of social interactions or observations (McGrath, Nilsen & Kerley 2011, p.491). For instance, a child may find that being abused is normal or a good thing since the perpetrator is someone who loves them, may be a parent or relative.

Such children who grow up with such beliefs tend to offend later in life or even before adulthood (McGrath, Nilsen & Kerley 2011, p.490). The main result of this continuous learning is having the view that sexual assault is more pleasurable and less harmful to the victim based on their reaction to individual sexual assault during childhood. Additionally, research has also linked other factors that play a big part in the connection between being sexually assaulted and later adopting sexually aggressive behaviors.

The main factors include age of experiencing sexual abuse, relationship between victim and perpetrator, type of sexual assault, intensity of force or aggression, the gender of the offender, the duration or the assault, and number of offenders (Becerra-García, et al. 2013, p. 345). From these factors, it can be determined that the younger the victim, the higher number of offenders, the longer the time of assault, the more intrusive and violent the sexual acts, the higher the likelihood of developing sexually aggressive behaviors in victims (Mancini, et al. 2014, p. 44).

Another different perspective of the social learning theory is developing sexually aggressive behavior through vicarious learning or modeling from the media and other influences. In this context, media can be regarded as violent pornographic materials that tend to paint an abusive picture of men while women are on the receiving end. Although media is not limited to pornography, additional notions of women as well as their status in society can influence sexually aggressive behavior. Men are shaped or believed to be the dominant species in society or superior gender than women.

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