This thesis investigates established theoretical and embodied accounts of identities excluded within Western heteronormative society in order to seek out how those embodiments and theories may parallel what is contended that another impossible subject position -- the child male victim of adult female sexual violence.

Minimal scientific research has been conducted regarding female sexual offenders within the South African context, despite its prevalence. This study explores behavioural and contextual characteristics of female sexual offenders to gain an understanding of the phenomenon. This qualitative study in the form of a systematic review, focuses on the findings of ten original international research articles published from 2002 to 2012 regarding the behavioural and contextual characteristics of female sexual offenders. The epistemological foundation of this study was postmodernism and social constructionism. Three main themes and various subthemes emerged from the data by applying the thematic content analysis. The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences between the findings of the research articles. Lacunas in the existing literature were explored in an attempt to extend scientific knowledge on female sexual offenders. Finally, recommendations for future scientific studies on female sexual offenders were discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Minimal scientific research has been conducted regarding female sexual offenders within the South African context, despite its prevalence. This study explores behavioural and contextual characteristics of female sexual offenders to gain an understanding of the phenomenon. This qualitative study in the form of a systematic review, focuses on the findings of ten original international research articles published from 2002 to 2012 regarding the behavioural and contextual characteristics of female sexual offenders. The epistemological foundation of this study was postmodernism and social constructionism. Three main themes and various subthemes emerged from the data by applying the thematic content analysis. The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences between the findings of the research articles. Lacunas in the existing literature were explored in an attempt to extend scientific knowledge on female sexual offenders. Finally, recommendations for future scientific studies on female sexual offenders were discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Child sexual assault is a problem of epidemic proportions in the United States with some research suggesting up to one fifth of our nations children being victimized before reaching adulthood. Research has suggested females could be responsible for up to 20% of child sexual abuse cases, and at the same time only represent only 1% of sexual offenders incarcerated the US. This creates a situation where a large group of relatively under-researched offenders are evading detection. Numerous calls for further research have been made, but relatively few studies have had the ability to shed significant light on this phenomenon on a national level. This project utilizes a dataset of virtually every reported child protective services case in the United States for the fiscal year 2010 in order to investigate the dynamics of perpetrator gender on child sexual offending in substantiated cases. Offense characteristics, as well as case level components, were assessed to investigate not only the differences in offending behavior but also the ways gender affects how offenders enter and exit our child protective systems and the services they receive while there. Extensive differences were uncovered as related to perpetrator gender. Models were informed by the female sexual offending literature. Practice and policy implications are discussed.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / Cette recherche porte sur les femmes auteures d'abus sexuels, leurs actes et leurs victimes. L'approche de type phénoménologique a été retenue. Les données ont été recueillies par le biais d'entrevues semi-directives réalisées auprès de onze professionnels ayant eu dans leur clientèle soit des femmes auteures d'abuse sexuels, soit des victimes d'abus sexuels commis par des femmes. / 1. L'état des connaissances -- 1.1. L'état des connaissances -- 1.2. Les auteures, les actes et les victimes -- 1.3. Définitions des actes -- 1.4. Comment expliquer le silence entourant les abus sexuels commis par des femmes -- 2. Problématique, approche théorique et méthodologie -- 2.1. Problématique -- 2.2. Approche théorique -- 2.3. Méthodologie -- 2.4. Population visée -- 2.5. Valeur du discours des professionnels -- 2.6. Limites de l'étude / 3. Présentation des données et analyse des actes selon le Code criminel -- 3.1. Présentation des données -- 3.2. Analyse des actes en tant qu'infractions criminelles -- 3.3. Pertinence et utilité de notre typologie -- 4. Analyse dynamique et interprétation des données -- 4.1. Analyse dyanamique par les thérapeutes -- 4.2. Interprétation des données -- 4.3. Comparaison des résultats des études antérieures avec ceux de notre recherche -- 4.4. Infirmation ou confirmation des hypothèses -- 4.5. Contributions additionnelles de ce mémoire -- 5. Conclusion.

This master thesis examines two novels which depict affairs between female teachers and male secondary school students: Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller and Tampa by Alissa Nutting. In the theoretical part, female sex offenders, erotic age-preferences, child sexual abuse, and educator sexual misconduct are discussed. In the practical part, the two novels are analyzed in relation to the scholarly findings presented in the theoretical part. Despite the great differences between the two fictional depictions of educator sexual misconduct, both novels contain numerous parallels to real cases. The most notable difference between them is their approach to gender stereotypes. Although Notes on a Scandal allows an alternative reading, it more or less reinforces stereotypes, while Tampa has the clear objective to conquer them. KEYWORDS female sex offenders, child sexual abuse, educator sexual misconduct, hebephilia, stereotypes, English literature, American literature

Mental health services in South Africa and the field of psychology are not keeping up with the changed landscape of child sexual abuse that includes women who perpetrate these violations. New laws have not made a massive impact on out of control behaviours, while the paucity of mental health services for women who sexually violate children is a significant failing in mental health service provision. Exploratory, descriptive research approached the topic from the perspective of the psychology of healing rather than the psychology of wrongdoing. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 38 professionals in relevant fields, purposefully selected in four provinces in South Africa that revealed a lack of knowledge, resources, and funding, as well as gaps in curricula. Some practitioners were willing to work with women who sexually violate children, while others were either unwilling or reluctant to do so for various reasons. Women who sexually violate children are typically not mentally ill but could have mental disorders and lives dominated by dysfunction and trauma. Data were analysed utilising Attride- Stirling’s (2001) thematic networks, while Gannon, Rose, and Ward’s (2008) descriptive model of female sexual offending (DMFSO) provided the theoretical framework. Recommendations include establishing online services to aid perpetrator disclosure and therapeutic interventions, providing individual psychotherapeutic interventions to uncover more than recent trauma, directing donor funding to sex offender programmes, networking among service providers including government agencies, and training those within the mental health services environment and the criminal justice system. Furthermore, mental health and relevant medical practitioners need to ensure comfort with their sexuality and to resolve their psychological blind spots before offering psychotherapeutic interventions to women who sexually violate children. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)