Most of the offenses took place in their own home. They disclosed trauma dictated fantasy, and that they felt powerful and in control, when they sexually abused their victims. They provided open discourse on the forms of enticement, exploitation or entrapment of child victims, including threats of harm, used to elicit compliance into sexual activities. In order to better understand unique trajectories of perpetration of CSA, particular to the South African context, we conducted an in-depth qualitative study with twelve male child sex offenders who were attending a therapeutic, rehabilitation programme. The research base is growing, despite low disclosure rates and significant barriers to access. Whilst severely under-reported, the perpetration of child sexual abuse (CSA) against boys and girls is a significant societal concern, underpinned by adverse childhood familial instability, childhood abuse in particular sexual abuse, violence, inequality and wider structural forces.
Violence against children, particularly sexual violence continues to threaten South African society.
