McCartan, K. (2008) Current understandings of paedophilia and the ...

explained because as children paedophiles had poor relationships with adults
(Lowenstein, 1998; Wilson & Cox, 1983; Cassati, Mc Glurg & Browne, 2002).
Which is best demonstrated in regard to both fixated (Groth et al, 1982) and elderly
paedophiles (Whiskin, 1997), both of whom tend to have poorer relationships with
adults than they do with children, hence believing that children understand them better
than adults do, and that children are less demanding and judgemental than adults
(O‟Carroll, 1980).
The social and psychology explanations of paedophilia are reinforced in research by
Finklehor (1984). Finklehor believes that there are four central explanations for why
people sexually offend against children; including that paedophiles feel an emotional
congruence with children, that paedophiles have a sexual arousal to children that
paedophiles are unable to have age appropriate relations and that paedophiles have
lower levels of sexual inhibitions. Finklehors model attempts to give a more rounded
and complete explanation of why adults sexually abuse children (Finklehor, 1984),
which seems plausible as Finklehors research fits with alterative research findings
(Howitt, 1995; Silverman & Wilson, 2002), including what paedophiles themselves
state (O‟Carroll, 1980).
Cycle of abuse
Another antecedent of child sexual abuse, with a long and rich research history, is the
cycle of abuse argument (Finklehor, 1984). The cycle of abuse explanation of child
sexual abuse states that individuals who have been sexually abused in childhood will
go on to reciprocate the abuse in later life (Howitt, 1995; Leberg, 1997; Silverman &
Wilson, 2002). This explanation postulates numerous explanations for why a victim
of child sexual abuse may become a perpetrator, including; (1) identification with the
aggressor (2) anger over the abuse that they suffered acted out on other children (3)
that the transition from victim to abuser is merely a career progression, or (4)
psychological damage as a result of the previous abuse which has lead to a sexual
fixation on children (Howitt, 1995).
Research suggests that there seems to be a relationship between being abused,
becoming an abuser and links to mental disorders (Nurcombe, 2000); suggesting that
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