Offending behavior of the father in sexual abuse

Offending behavior of the father in sexual abuse An assumption of family systems theory is that the incest serves a function within
the family (Larson & Maddock, 1986). As such, it was historically assumed that
incest offenders abused only within the family (Conte, 1991). Instead, a large
number of studies now indicate that many fathers do not restrict their offending
behavior to only a single child. Russell (1986), for example, found that 32% of
fathers had abused another relative. In Herman’s study (1981), 41% of the families
with more than one daughter had multiple victims of incest. In another 37% of
families, multiple victims were suspected. Phelan (1986) also found that 82% of
available daughters in families with biological father incest were sexually abused,
whereas 70% of available daughters in families with stepfather incest were abused.
In still another study, Ballard et al. (1990) found that incest offenders attending
Parents United reported that they perpetrated intrafamilial abuse against an average
of 4.5 children. Nor do incest offenders restrict themselves to children within the
family, as 49% of incest offenders in one study sexually abused children outside of
the family (Abel, Becker, Cunningham – Rathner, Mittleman, & Rouleau, 1988a).
Two important assumptions of family systems theory are that (a) incestuous
fathers do not abuse outside the home; and (b) incest is the sexual expression of
nonsexual needs (Conte, 1991). Both assumptions are repudiated by these data.
Incest offenders frequently abuse nonrelated children as well. As such, it is impossible
for the abuse to serve simply a family function.