Sexual Abuse as a way to cope with stress and quest for Well-being?

Sexual offending and sex offenders have often been analyzed in terms of the risk of re-offending. This research proposes an understanding of the sexual offense through the search for well-being. Is the commission of sexual violence part of a particular process of seeking well-being?

This mixed study evaluates the concepts of happiness and well-being in a population of men (N = 30) aged 19 to 66 and sentenced for sexual offenses. Each subject had been in therapeutic follow-up for at least one year in specialized mental health centers for sexual offenders. A semi-structured interview approached perception of the act, emotional situation and definition of happiness. In addition, five questionnaires – Quality of life Profile (Gérin, 1991), Self-Efficacy Scale (Jérusalem & Schwarzez, 1992), Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1983), Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Argyle, 1989) and Beck Depression Index (1983) – supplemented this material.

The cross outcome of a thematic analysis and statistical results highlight significantly higher perceived stress scores in parallel of lower relational quality of life assessment at the time of the acting out. Mostly, the perpetrators of sexual assault we met consider the period of the sexual abuse as a difficult and unsatisfactory situation at the family and relationship levels. Without a "loophole", the sexual offense appears as a way to cope, to reduce negative emotions, to increase positive emotions and the satisfaction they have about their life and perhaps, to achieve a state of well-being or happiness.