ABSTRACT
The current chapter highlighted the costs of sexual violence and offending for victim and society and the heterogeneity that is present among sexual offenders, most notably in terms of features of the victim and in levels of psychopathic traits. While psychopathic traits have been reported in higher levels among adult rapists rather than child sexual offenders, both groups of offenders may be motivated by instrumental means. Sexually violent offenders display socio-affective impairments that are consistent with psychopathy, and the presence of psychopathy represents an important risk factor for sexual offending. However, psychopathy is associated also among non-criminal samples where psychopathic traits are associated with sexually coercive behaviors. A growing understanding of psychopathy has served to emphasize the importance of assessing psychopathic tendencies, paying attention to the particular needs of high psychopathy scorers, and acknowledging the role of potential responsivity issues in traditional sex offender treatment programs.
