Female Sex Offenders

When we think of “sex offenders,” most people automatically think of male sex offenders, thus overlooking the frightening reality that seems unfathomable—some women can be and are sex offenders.  This reality is finally beginning to receive more attention in the public eye, which is helping raise awareness. One of the questions frequently asked and debated is just how common or rare are Female Sex Offenders?

What appears to be a simple and easy question to answer, the truth is that this question is very complex and must take into account a number of variables.  Due to a lack of standardization in reporting, combined with inconsistencies in research methods and overall definitions of sexual abuse, trying to obtain an accurate number is extremely difficult.

Estimates vary based on the number and type of offense being looked at.  For example consider two studies that looked at teachers who had sexually abused students.  The studies found that 42.4 in one study and 43 percent in the other study were done by female offenders.  A recent study done for the Bureau of Justice found that youth in juvenile correctional facilities who reported sexual assaults by staff members reported that 95% of those assaults were committed by female staff members.  Another study which looked at over 17,000 survivors of childhood sexual abuse, found that 23% were sexually abused by a female only, whereas another 22% had both male and female perpetrators.  (Please see the Resources & Bibliography pages for these studies and over 500+ more)

The research shows that female sex offenders, once considered to be very rare, are more common than previously realized.  Depending on the nature of the offense, the percentage can run quite high. The myth that most female offenders acted with a male partner has also been shattered through ongoing research.  

Another question often asked and debated is, “why they do it?”  Again, the answer is complex.  The simplest answer is that women abuse for many different reasons, just as we see with male offenders. 

Female sex offenders are an area demanding much more research and education as we are beginning to realize the depth and breadth of the problem.  Public awareness is desperately needed, but awareness that avoids the sensationalism that often accompanies this topic.  We hope this site can be of some help in doing just that.

How many victims?

Just how many people have been victims/survivors of female sex offenders is, like all abuse data, hard to obtain a hard and fast number.  If you only look at the number of convicted offenders to determine the number of victims/survivors, the number you have will be one that only reflects how grossly underreported this crime is—leaving the true number much higher.

There is a consensus among experts that sexual abuse of all types is vastly underreported.  Many experts on female sex offenders feel that this is even more the case when it comes to sexual abuse by females. 

So just how many survivors are there? 

According to the Center for Sex Offender Management, an estimated 1.6 million men and 1.5 million women are sexually abused by women when they were children.

Dr. Christine Hatchard of Making Daughters Safe Again states on her site that “Less than 1% of MDSA members report any intervention as a child.”  Another organization in Canada reported that out of roughly 1,000 men who disclosed being sexually abused by a female only 4 reported it.  Again, the number we are looking at is less than 1%. 

According to the description of Julia Hislop’s book – Female Sex Offenders: What Therapists, Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services Need to Know, “female sex offenders have victimized an estimated two to three million people in the United States. As a society we find it nearly impossible to believe that females, usually seen as nurturing, are capable of sexual abuse.”

According to Law Professor Kay Levine, it is estimated that 1.5 million girls and 1.1 million boys are victims of female sexual abuse in the United States.

So what is the real number?  No one knows for sure.  The only right answer is that it is too many.  Too many suffering in silence with little help and few resources for them.