Syftet var att ge en bild av vad som framkommer i tidigare forskning om vuxna individer med funktionsvariation och deras utsatthet för sexualbrott. Studien omfattar två frågeställningar: (1) Hur beskrivs funktionsvariation påverka utsattheten för sexualbrott enligt artiklarna? (2) Hur konstrueras sexualbrott i artiklarna? För att besvara syftet gjordes en översiktsstudie med totalt nio kvantitativa och kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar och en tematisk analys genomfördes. Resultatet analyserades utifrån ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv. Resultatet visade att en individ med en synlig funktionsvariation beskrevs som en symbol för svaghet. Resultatet visade också att artiklarna konstruerade sexualbrott som ett individualistiskt problem. Resultatet visade även att en individ med funktionsvariation ”samtycker” till sexuellt umgänge på grund av låg självkänsla. Slutsatsen är att mer forskning behövs för att kunna utveckla åtgärder för att förebygga sexualbrott mot individer med funktionsvariation så att de kan känna sig trygga i samhället. / The aim was to present a general view of what is found in earlier research on adults with disabilities and their vulnerability to sexual crimes. The study covers two issues: (1) How do the disability affect vulnerability to sexual crimes according to the articles? (2) How do the articles construct sexual crimes? To answer the aim a scoping review with a total of nine quantitative and qualitative scientific articles were used and a thematic analysis was conducted. The results were analyzed from a social constructionist perspective. The results showed that an individual with a visible disability was described as a symbol of weakness. The results also showed that the articles chose to construct sexual crimes as an individualistic problem. Moreover the results showed that an individual with a disability "consents" to sexual intercourse because of low self-esteem. The conclusion is that more research is needed in order to develop measures to prevent sexual crimes against individuals with disabilities to improve their feeling of security in society.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2015 / The study investigated trends of rape in Mankweng area between the years 2009 and 2012. The number of cases reported per year, age of victims, area of occurrence, victim/perpetrator relationship, month of occurrence, day and time of occurrence and the victim’s rape occurrences were investigated. Archival research design was employed by studying victim’s records at Thuthuzela Care Centre, using a self-designed data organization sheet. Descriptive statistics was applied in analysing data. The following are the findings: there is an increase in the number of rape incidents, girls aged between 13- 19 years are at risk of being raped. The victims are likely to be raped by an unknown perpetrator. Rape is more likely to take place during the month of September. Most cases occur during weekends at night in the semi-urban part of Mankweng. There are more first-time victims and rape cases involved only one perpetrator

Sexual violence remains a pervasive and persistent social problem. In 1996, Congress enacted Megan’s Law, dictating mandatory community notification and potential civil commitment for those deemed by the State to be “dangerous sexual offenders.” In 2013, Megan’s law continues to influence the treatment of sexual offenders under law and the social construction of a highly publicized, yet statistically rare, sexual crime—the rape and murder of a young female child by a depraved male stranger. This influence highlights the extent to which this personalized crime bill shapes the social construction of sexual violence in terms of sex and gender systems. This project examines how sex and gender shape media discourses of the sexual offender and victim that are mobilized in the legislative debate on Megan’s Law. Drawing on theoretical ideas from cultural studies and feminist legal scholarship, I employ discourse analysis to analyze the legislative debate on Megan’s Law.

Thesis advisor: Ann W. Burgess / Purpose: The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the meaning of being considered a ‘sex offender’ for the individual who is reintegrating into society. The aims included understanding the lived experience of the participants, while considering issues associated with self-perception, perception of others, stigma and humanization. A secondary aim was to unveil the meaning of being identified as a ‘sex offender’ and reintegrating into society carrying such label. Background: Individuals with a criminal history face several barriers upon reentering society. For individuals with a history of sexual offenses, the challenges are even more aggravated. In many instances, society perceives individuals charged with a sex offense (ICSO) as “evil,” “monsters” and “the highest form of evil.” Additionally, upon reentry, ICSOs are subject to several sanctions that are uniquely directed towards those who have committed sexual crimes, such as civil commitments, housing and employment limitations and the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB). While treatment specializing in sex offending is available and has been associated with reduced sex offending, issues associated with stigma, protracted or inhibited reintegration and overall recidivism are still common occurrences. Method: This study was guided by Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenology philosophical principles, Max van Manen’s approach guided data collection and analysis. Only male adults (>18) were included in the study, and those who had a current “prisoner status” were excluded. Fourteen participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Participants were individually interviewed about their experience of being charged with a sexual offense, accounting for when they were first charged, until the period in which they reentered society. An iterative process was used for data analysis. Data was coded and interpreted through a hermeneutic circle. To ensure rigor and trustworthiness, Lincoln and Guba’s criteria were used, which include credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability. Audit trails, triangulation and reflexivity were essential strategies. Results: The study sample consisted of fourteen men, ranging in age from 23 to 68 years old (x̄ = 51.7 years; table 1). One participant identified his race/ethnicity as Asian American, while all other participants identified their race/ethnicity as white. Five of the participant were assigned a level 3 in the SORB, while four were assigned a level 1, three were assigned a level 2 and two were awaiting a level designation. The major themes identified were: (1) Exposed secret leads to humiliation (2) Being considered a sex offender is living in fear of the unknown, (3) Stigma consumes the identity of the individual charged with a sexual offense (4) Reframing and “leveling” of the crime are coping strategies; and (5) The path towards healing and forgiveness is complex. These themes represent different facets of the phenomenon of interest. Conclusion: Through hermeneutic phenomenology, a more complete understanding of the meaning of being considered a ‘sex offender’ for the person reintegrating into society was formed. The data uncovered allowed for a conceptualization of the phenomenon, The vexed question of accepting guilt while avoiding shame. Future research should focus on longitudinally exploring the interplay between behavior and the process of shame and guilt over time. Moreover, future studies should test and verify the conceptualization. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

This study aimed to examine how swedish tabloid press covered the sex crimes at music festivals that occurred in Sweden during the summer of 2016. The aim was also to examine if and how the press reproduces or opposes stereotypes and myths about sexual crime. The question examined was: How does swedish tabloid press portray victims, perpetrators, the festivals and sex crime?   To approach this we made a critical discourse analysis on 13 articles from the swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen, written during the time of the events. We found that there were many different and contradictory discourses about the sex crimes in our case. The victim was presented as innocent and without blame but there was also a discourse telling that women have a responsibility in making sure not to become a victim of sexual assault, by behaving and dressing right. The perpetrator was described as deviant and evil men, but also as men driven by lust not knowing what they were doing. They were also distant and indistinct in the text, which shifted the blame to the organizers of the festivals and to the police. Sex crime was overall presented as a serious phenomena. It was also presented as a new phenomena, both on the festivals and in the society. The crimes were presented as a problem isolated to festivals but also as a broader social problem. The festivals were described as unsafe places but also as safe places that had been soiled by the sex crimes.

<p>This paper aims to give a comprehensive view in which extent Swedish legislation concerning trafficking in human beings (Brottsbalken 4 kap. 1a §) is efficient. Qualitative interviews have been carried out with professionals within the judicial system in order to comprehend various aspects of efficiency relating to legislative validation of trafficking regarded human beings. Consent, coercion and control brings up miscellaneous issues. Personal observations by authorized people within the area was therefore viewed and found to be highly essential. In order to understand court reasoning in cases concerning human trafficking, various verdicts have been examined from the district court and the court of appeal. Theories of legal science have therefore been used. Results from this study shows that current legislation against trafficking in human beings is in some extent inefficient and that some adversity does appear while interpreting the concepts of consent, coercion and control. The study also implies that these are difficult to prove and that the collecting of evidence regarding this matter is complex and resource demanding. A social construction perspective and penal theories was found to be useful while analyzing and discussing the result.</p>

This paper aims to give a comprehensive view in which extent Swedish legislation concerning trafficking in human beings (Brottsbalken 4 kap. 1a §) is efficient. Qualitative interviews have been carried out with professionals within the judicial system in order to comprehend various aspects of efficiency relating to legislative validation of trafficking regarded human beings. Consent, coercion and control brings up miscellaneous issues. Personal observations by authorized people within the area was therefore viewed and found to be highly essential. In order to understand court reasoning in cases concerning human trafficking, various verdicts have been examined from the district court and the court of appeal. Theories of legal science have therefore been used. Results from this study shows that current legislation against trafficking in human beings is in some extent inefficient and that some adversity does appear while interpreting the concepts of consent, coercion and control. The study also implies that these are difficult to prove and that the collecting of evidence regarding this matter is complex and resource demanding. A social construction perspective and penal theories was found to be useful while analyzing and discussing the result.

The present study examined the relationship between fear of crime and masculinity respectively femininity. Furthermore, the relationship between different types of crime and masculinity respectively femininity were also examined. A web-survey measuring the degree of masculinity and femininity as well as fear of crime was developed. The types of crimes investigated were burglary, assault, robbery and sexual offenses. A convenience sample consisting of 164 university students at Örebro University between the ages 18-47 (M=23.4 SD=0.3). A total of 111 women (67,7%) and 47 men (28,7%) participated, as well as 6 participants identifying as other (3,6%). A linear regression analysis and a Pearerson's R correlation analysis were performed. The results showed a significant strong correlation between femininity and fear of crime. In addition, significant correlations were shown between femininity and fear of all types of crime, not least sex-crimes.  Based on previous research and the concept that masculinity and femininity are the result of social constructions, the results were discussed. In summary, the results show a relationship between masculinity respectively femininity and fear of crime. Gender should therefore be further explored and taken into account in the criminological field when examining fear of crime. / Föreliggande studie undersökte relationen mellan rädsla för brott och maskulinitet respektive femininitet. Vidare undersöktes även relationen mellan olika brottstyper och maskulinitet respektive femininitet. En webbenkät med syfte att mäta grad av maskulinitet och femininitet samt rädsla för brott utvecklades som datainsamlingsinstrument. Brottstyperna som undersöktes var inbrott, misshandel, rån och sexualbrott. Ett bekvämlighetsurval användes där urvalet bestod av 164 universitetsstudenter i åldrarna 18-47 (M=23,4 SD=0,3) på Örebro Universitet. Totalt deltog 111 kvinnor (67,7%) och 47 män (28,7%) samt 6 respondenter som identifierat sig som annat (3,6%). En linjär regressionsanalys samt en Pearsons R korrelationsanalys genomfördes. Resultatet visade ett signifikant starkt samband mellan femininitet och rädsla för brott. Utöver det visades signifikanta samband mellan femininitet och rädsla för alla brottstyper, inte minst sexualbrott. Utifrån tidigare forskning och konceptet av att maskulinitet och femininitet är ett resultat av sociala konstruktioner diskuteras resultatet. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultatet en relation mellan maskulinitet respektive femininitet och rädsla för brott. Genus bör därför vidare undersökas och ta i beaktning inom det kriminologiska fältet vid undersökandet av rädsla för brott.

In the past 15 years Sweden has seen a tremendous increase in the number of Thai massage parlors distributed across the country. With an estimated 80 % of the parlors providing sex trade with low risks of legal penalties the expansion highlights a growing social issue. The implementation of the Sex Purchase Act in 1999 made Sweden pioneers within the regulation of sex trade, legally altering consumers of sex purchases to perpetrators and suppliers to victims. The evident issue of sex trade in the current expanding number of parlors heighten the relevance of an ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness and unintended repercussions of the regulatory framework. Contributing to the debate, literature in recent years have shed light on a substitution effect between sex trade and other sex crimes (i.e. rape). No study has yet to investigate the parlors casual contribution to the ongoing illegal sex trade and its effects on other sex crimes. This paper aims to estimate the expanding number of Thai massage parlors’ impact on reported rates of sex purchases and other sex crimes. By the use of a difference-in-difference event study, with a rollout design, the paper reveals a statistically significant increase in rates of sex purchases the years following the implementation of a Thai massage parlor. Investigating the impact of the parlors’ establishment, on a number of sex crimes, a statistically significant decrease in the rates of rape is found. The results indicate that the services offered in the parlors provide the perpetrators with the same utility as that of rape.

This exegesis interrogates the mental illness Pure Erotomania, the rare delusional disorder which presents with the sufferer having the delusional (and therefore unshakeable) belief that the person they objectify is in love with them. My play Yellow Roses in Fortitude Valley is about one woman's emotional journey as she is relentlessly stalked by a Pure Erotomanic male. It is a fascinating mental illness, which includes all the 'box office type' features, which make it an exciting and frightening subject to write a dramatic work about. It is confusing, illusory, surreal and frightening, but best of all for the writer and audience it is a real human condition. Yellow Roses in Fortitude Valley is written in a style that truthfully represents and portrays the journey and struggle for both the victim and the sufferer. The research undertaken for both the play and exegesis was a hybrid of many overlapping disciplines involved in the current discourse. As a recently diagnosed and recognized disorder, it is still new territory for professionals in the field and for audience members. I believe this makes it an opportune time for an academically researched creative project to enter into current discourse. Previous creative works on this topic, some of which I have interrogated, have approached the issue of stalking as a predator/victim scenario, an unrequited love or a domestic violence situation. I wished to portray the stalking as a mental illness in the form of the psychiatric disorder Erotomania, my approach undertaking to explain victim impact and the prolonged and chronic course of Erotomanic stalking. I also wished to illustrate the underlying themes which I uncovered during my research, being; female victims of sex crimes; dominant patriarchal ideology; and the current interventions in stalking by the legal and mental health systems.