Grooming, Child Abuse, & Child Sexual Exploitation
Differentiating Men With Sexual Interest in Children and Those Involved in Sexual Behaviour With Children.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
This article examines the factors associated with different groups of men based on their self-reported sexual interest and behaviour towards children. Knowledge in this area usually draws on forensic or clinical samples or relies on self-reporting from cohorts who identify as sexually attracted to children but claim to be non-offending. Clear definitions are therefore needed to interpret findings consistently. In this study, sexual interest in children refers to attraction to individuals aged 15 or younger or interest in abusing a child in hypothetical scenarios. Sexual behaviour involving minors refers to self-reported sexual contact involving individuals under the age of 18. Given the variation in age-of-consent laws within and between jurisdictions and over time, not all behaviours described in this study necessarily constitute criminal offending. Using data from an online survey of 4,918 men representative of the Australian, United States, and United Kingdom adult male population, the current study conducted a series of logistic regression analyses based on Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator variable selection with k-fold cross-validation to identify the covariates independently associated with men reporting (a) no sexual interest or behaviour involving minors, (b) sexual interest without behaviour, (c) sexual behaviour without interest, and (d) sexual interest and behaviour. Most respondents (83.5%) reported neither interest nor behaviour, 5.5% reported sexual interest only, 6.4% reported sexual behaviour without interest, and 4.6% reported interest and behaviour. Attitudes towards child sex abuse consistently distinguished each group of men across multivariable models. Generally, men who reported both sexual interest and behaviour were more distinguishable than any other group, particularly concerning watching violent pornography, anxiety, depression, and attitudes minimising the abusiveness of sexualising children. These findings highlight distinct risk profiles in a representative population sample, which could inform public health prevention strategies and support service responses.
Relevance
“The findings of this study show that approximately one in six men reported sexual interest in children and/or sexual behaviour involving minors.”
“Compared to men reporting no sexual interest or behaviour involving minors, men who reported sexual interest without behaviour were more likely to be younger, live in urban areas, have lower incomes and have experienced childhood sexual abuse. They misused prescription drugs, endorsed denial of abusiveness attitudes and had higher levels of psychological distress.”
“Compared to non-offending men without sexual interest in children, men who reported sexual behaviour involving minors but no sexual interest were more likely to be older, have a child in their household, consume deviant pornography and have a childhood history of family mental illness and incarceration of a family member. They had higher PHQ-4 scores [anxiety and depression] and endorsed denial of abusiveness attitudes.”
“Men who reported both sexual interest in children and sexual behaviour involving minors were the most homogenous group of the three categories: those with sexual interest, sexual behaviour, or both. Compared to men without sexual interest in children or sexual behaviour involving minors, they were more likely to be married or living with a partner and work with children. They have a history of childhood sexual abuse and neglect, have higher PHQ-4 scores [depression and anxiety], and endorse denial of abusive attitudes. This group had significantly higher engagement in high-risk online behaviours, including frequent use of privacy software, viewing violent and bestiality pornography and engaging with romance websites and dating apps.”
“Several important similarities among these three groups differentiate them from men who reported neither sexual interest in children nor sexual behaviour involving minors. They had elevated rates of adverse childhood experiences, held permissive attitudes and beliefs about the sexual abuse of children, and had higher rates of depression and anxiety than men in the general population. Men with sexual interest, both those who reported sexual behaviour and those who did not, were more likely to report being sexually abused as children. In contrast, men who reported sexual behaviour involving minors without also reporting sexual interest had higher levels of non-sexual ACEs. Men who reported sexual behaviour involving minors, with or without sexual interest, were more likely to report patterns of deviant pornography consumption relating to violent or bestiality content.”
“The viewing of violent and bestiality pornography among men who reported sexual behaviour involving minors raises questions about the availability and role of deviant pornography in pathways to harmful behaviour. Internet regulation could reduce the availability of this content, while warnings to men who are seeking to access this content (similar to the warnings delivered in some instances to men seeking child sexual abuse material…could refer a broader group of men at risk of harming children to early intervention services.”
Citation
Woodlock, D., Whitten, T., Salter, M., Lamond, M., Slater, C., & Fry, D. (2026). Differentiating Men With Sexual Interest in Children and Those Involved in Sexual Behaviour With Children. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 41(7-8), 1514-1543.
https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605251403606
