Can psychology explain the madness of child sexual abuse?

 

What Drives Child Sexual Predators to Risk Everything? Inside the Psychology of Sexual Exploitation

Tom Lemons, October 19, 2026 | Last updated Oct 20, 2026 2:26pm

FLORIDA - They could be neighbors, coworkers, professionals, parents, or seemingly ordinary members of the community. Yet behind closed doors, some engage in crimes that can destroy their careers, families, reputations, and freedom.

Across Florida and throughout the United States, law enforcement agencies routinely announce arrests involving adults accused of soliciting minors for sexual activity, possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), or distributing sexually explicit images and videos depicting children.

Many of these defendants face lengthy prison sentences, mandatory sex offender registration, and consequences that can follow them for the rest of their lives.

It raises a disturbing question: What drives someone to risk everything for sexual gratification involving a child, particularly when they know law enforcement is actively searching for offenders?

Psychologists and researchers who study sexual offending suggest the answer is more complicated than simply an inability to distinguish right from wrong.

One explanation involves persistent sexual attraction to children.

Some individuals who sexually exploit minors have a diagnosable pedophilic disorder, while others engage in these offenses for different reasons, including sexual opportunism, antisocial behavior, or a desire to exercise power and control.

Researchers caution that sexual attraction and criminal behavior are not interchangeable. Not every person experiencing an attraction to children commits an offense, and not everyone who sexually exploits a minor meets the diagnostic criteria for pedophilic disorder.

For some offenders, researchers have identified patterns of distorted thinking that allow them to minimize the seriousness of their actions.

A 2020 systematic review examining cognitive distortions among individuals involved in online child sexual exploitation described how offenders may rationalize their behavior.

"Cognitive distortions are employed by individuals to rationalize their behavior before, during, and after committing an offense," the researchers explained.

Such rationalizations may include convincing themselves that viewing abusive material is less harmful than physically abusing a child, that their actions are private, or that they are not personally responsible for the abuse depicted.

But those rationalizations ignore a fundamental reality: child sexual abuse material documents the exploitation of children, and its continued circulation can inflict lasting harm on victims.

Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of these crimes is the willingness of offenders to take extraordinary risks despite knowing the potential consequences.

Law enforcement agencies regularly publicize arrests involving online exploitation. Federal prosecutors announce lengthy prison sentences, while local sheriff's offices conduct undercover operations targeting adults who attempt to arrange sexual encounters with minors.

Yet arrests continue.

In a published study examining the challenges of investigating and prosecuting child sexual abuse material offenses in the United States, one law enforcement professional expressed astonishment at the willingness of offenders to use online systems known to be monitored by investigators.

"I'm still kind of astounded how many people use it because it's open information that law enforcement monitors," the investigator told researchers.

The observation highlights a troubling contradiction: Some offenders continue participating in illegal online activity despite widespread knowledge that investigators actively monitor certain platforms and file-sharing networks.

Researcher Eoin Balfe, who examined how online child sexual offenders perceive surveillance and attempt to conceal their identities, reached a similar conclusion about the complexity of offender behavior.

"Offenders are a diverse group when it comes to how they perceive risk and act on those perceptions," Balfe wrote.

His research found that offenders differ considerably in their perceptions of surveillance and their willingness to take precautions against identification.

Some attempt to conceal their identities through technology, while others make surprisingly little effort to hide their activities.

Researchers studying criminal decision-making have also found that people do not always evaluate risks rationally, particularly when immediate gratification, strong sexual interests, or impulsive behavior influence their decisions.

Repeatedly engaging in illegal behavior without immediate consequences may reinforce the mistaken belief that an offender can continue indefinitely.

However, there is an important distinction between an offender's perception of risk and the actual probability of arrest.

Although investigators have developed sophisticated methods of identifying online offenders, no credible evidence establishes that nearly every person who commits these crimes will eventually be caught.

Today's child exploitation investigations increasingly involve specialized forensic techniques, cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement, and information reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Investigators may use internet connection records, account information, digital fingerprints of previously identified abuse material, and forensic examinations of electronic devices to identify suspects.

Online platforms can also report suspected exploitation to NCMEC's CyberTipline, which makes relevant information available to law enforcement agencies.

In 2025, NCMEC received approximately 21.3 million CyberTipline reports involving suspected child sexual exploitation.

The organization also reported approximately 1.4 million reports involving online enticement of children, a substantial increase over the previous year.

These figures do not represent 21.3 million individual offenders or proven crimes. Multiple reports may concern the same incident or material, and reporting practices can influence annual totals.

Nevertheless, they illustrate the enormous volume of suspected exploitation being brought to the attention of child protection organizations and investigators.

Federal authorities have repeatedly warned offenders that using sophisticated technology or anonymous online networks does not guarantee protection from prosecution.

In a June 2026 Department of Justice announcement involving a New Jersey man sentenced to 350 months in federal prison for distributing CSAM through the dark web, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva delivered a direct warning to individuals who believe they can hide their identities online.

"We will still find you," Duva stated.

While that warning reflects law enforcement's determination, investigators acknowledge that identifying every offender remains an enormous challenge.

Some offenders describe their behavior as compulsive or claim they have become addicted to sexually explicit material.

But experts caution against assuming that every individual who repeatedly views CSAM has a clinical addiction.

Compulsive sexual behavior, sexual interests involving children, psychological difficulties, and deliberate criminal choices can overlap, but they are not the same condition.

A systematic review of 35 studies published in 2026 identified several recurring characteristics among individuals involved in CSAM offenses, including distorted thinking, psychological difficulties, adverse childhood experiences, and problematic patterns of internet use.

The findings also underscore that offenders are not a psychologically uniform group.

Some may experience significant difficulty controlling their behavior. Others may deliberately seek out, collect, or distribute illegal material without meeting the criteria for a compulsive disorder.

Regardless of the psychological explanation, compulsive behavior does not eliminate criminal responsibility.

Another concern is whether individuals who possess CSAM will eventually attempt to sexually abuse a child in person.

Researchers emphasize that this progression is not inevitable. 

Sin is progressive!

Some offenders commit online-only offenses, while others have histories involving direct contact offenses or engage in both forms of exploitation.

Risk varies considerably depending on the individual, their behavior, and other factors.

That distinction is important because possession of abusive material does not, by itself, establish that a defendant has physically abused a child.

However, investigators also recognize that online communications can develop into attempts to meet minors for sexual purposes.

NCMEC reported that its CyberTipline received more than 800 reports in 2025 involving offenders who traveled to meet children in person.

For law enforcement, identifying these individuals before a child is physically harmed remains a critical objective.

One of the most damaging misconceptions surrounding CSAM is the belief that downloading or sharing an existing image is a victimless crime.

It is not.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children emphasizes that these images are evidence of real abuse.

"These images and videos depict actual crimes being committed against children," the organization explains.

Behind authentic child sexual abuse material is a child who was exploited, abused, or coerced.

For survivors, the knowledge that images of their abuse may continue circulating online can create enduring psychological harm.

Every new distribution can perpetuate that victimization.

And while offenders may focus on their own desires or the possibility of being arrested, the consequences for the children depicted can last long after a criminal investigation concludes.

Mental health professionals have developed specialized treatment approaches intended to reduce sexual reoffending.

Depending on the individual, treatment may address distorted thinking, impulse regulation, sexual interests, emotional difficulties, and strategies for preventing further harmful behavior.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and other structured interventions are used in some treatment programs.

However, treatment outcomes vary, and there is no universal cure or guarantee that someone will never offend again.

Researchers also distinguish between treating individuals who have already committed offenses and providing confidential preventive services to people concerned about potentially harmful sexual interests before any crime occurs.

The ultimate objective is preventing children from being harmed.

As law enforcement agencies continue investigating child exploitation offenses, one question remains especially troubling.

Why do individuals continue engaging in behavior that could cost them everything?

The answer may involve sexual attraction, distorted thinking, impulsivity, a desire for control, or an unrealistic belief that they will never be identified.

For some offenders, the immediate reward may outweigh their perception of the long-term consequences.

For others, years of escaping detection may create a dangerous sense of invulnerability.

And as researchers have demonstrated, even the knowledge that law enforcement is monitoring online activity does not necessarily deter individuals determined to continue offending.

But understanding those motivations is not the same as excusing the crimes.

The challenge facing law enforcement, mental health professionals, families, and communities is not simply identifying offenders after a crime has occurred.

It is understanding the warning signs, improving prevention, protecting potential victims, and intervening before more children are harmed.

Because behind every arrest statistic and every image of child sexual abuse is a far more important consideration: the safety and well-being of the children whose lives may be permanently affected.

Psychology can only go so far in explaining the evil madness of child sexual abuse. I believe it has much more to do with rebellion against God than psychology. Pre-pubescent children represent a certain godly innocence that evil simply cannot stand and so tries to destroy. It is only when Jesus returns that child sex abuse will be brought under control. "And He will rule with a rod of iron". 

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Psychological Counselling should be Imperative for Sex Abuse Victims, especially children

 

Most child sex abuse survivors suffer from any number of effects from their abuse for the rest of their lives. In 12 years of blogging in this subject, I have encountered only a very few who completely overcame their trauma. Counselling should be mandatory for all CSA victims until they have overcome their related issues.

As for their abusers, I suspect their problems are spiritual, not psychological.

Treatment for Sexual Abusers and

Sexual Abuse Victims

Society must find a way to treat sexual perpetrators and their victims.

Posted August 18, 2024 |  Reviewed by Tyler Woods

Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and former schoolteacher, was charged with trafficking dozens of girls, some as young as 14. He engaged in sex acts with them in his multiple mansions. It is unknown whether he was sexually abused himself, but in his early 20’s, he cultivated his grooming skills while teaching. He used his wealth and position to abuse hundreds of minors, including hiring minions to deliver his victims.

Epstein never faced those charges in court, dying by suicide in 2019. He was a tragedy to himself and a pariah to countless others.

Some of his victims will repeat what he taught them and become sexual abusers, while others may be able to choose a different path and recover through their lifetimes.

Robin Davis is a successful financier. He was sexually assaulted when he was 10 years old. Following New York’s passage of the Child Victims Act (which allowed lawsuits to be filed regardless of the expiration of the statute of limitations and although all parties were deceased), at age 79, Davis sat in a courtroom to confront the ghost that haunted him for seven decades.

In addition to being a successful financier, he was also a well-known philanthropist. His life’s passion was for fighting child abuse. (New York Times, August 5, 2024).

Recovery can take many forms.

The purpose of this article is to address treatment modalities for childhood sexual abusers and the victims of their abuse. There is a wide range of treatments, some more successful than others.

Child molesters are individuals who have committed a sexual offense against a child victim. Some believe that one important factor in this deviant development is a history of sexual victimization during their own childhood, and emotional and physical abuse as well. All three (childhood sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse) together increase one’s vulnerability to becoming a perpetrator. The conclusion is not that individuals who have had these experiences become child molesters, only that the probability is increased.

Child sexual abuse is a public health hazard with life-changing consequences. Child abusers hold no status, trust, or faith that they can recover. Thus, successful psychological intervention with individuals who have sexually offended children is critical. Society has a responsibility to try.

What are the psychological interventions used to treat these individuals and to decrease recidivism? Since it is such a complex group of variables in predicting behaviors, the one-size-fits-all approach has been ineffective.

Negative attitudes towards this group lead to punitive treatment such as containment and monitoring (e.g., the sexual offender registry), which has yielded less than positive results in predicting recidivism.

Recidivism is difficult to monitor. The only way to ascertain data is if an individual is caught.

The solely behavioral approach views deviant sexual behavior as a distorted manifestation of sexual desires resulting from conditioned behavior (being sexually abused as a child). The goal of treatment is conditioning treatment—aversive in nature. This approach is again punitive in nature and pays little attention to thought and emotions.

The lack of success of this model led to the treatment more universally used today. It is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and it addresses the interplay between emotions, behavior, and thoughts.

Cognitive behavioral therapy rests on the idea that problems are based on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking as well as learned patterns of unhelpful behavior. The premise is that people can learn better ways of coping with mental unease, thus relieving their symptoms.

In addition, a relapse prevention (RP) model to deal with addictive behaviors has been added to CBT. This modality focuses on helping individuals to identify high-risk situations that might cause persons to recidivate. RP helps perpetrators to develop individual strategies to cope with these situations (e.g., staying away from children).

Empirical results are not yet definitive in findings of successful treatment, but efforts continue. The most important factor is a willingness to fully participate in treatment.

Elizabeth Hartney, Ph.D. (January 4, 2024) describes a cycle of abuse that occurs when people who were victimized can become abusive.

She has multiple theories:

1. A person may reassert their own sense of personal power and grandiosity that compensates for feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. An adult exerts power over a child. (e.g., from 1996 to 2014, Larry Nasser, as team doctor for the United States women's national gymnastics team, used his position to exploit and sexually assault hundreds of young athletes.)
2. For victims, the abuse may be repeated in adult relationships. If one connects feelings of love with their sexual trauma, there is a disconnect between love and gentleness.
3. Attachment theory suggests that some victims just avoid adult relationships.
4. Feelings of shame and anger and what some have described as "dirtiness" can ruin a victim’s life, as they shy away from relationships.
5. Abused children may believe that they are not good enough to deserve a genuinely caring relationship.

The damage is significant for those sexually abused as children. It has cost or damaged lives not only through suicide but also through a victim’s inability to have adult relationships that are mutual and loving.

Sexual assault for victims results in severe physical and emotional trauma that may affect their adult relationships for a lifetime. Not unlike treatment for offenders their treatment must be individualized.

There are several evidence-based treatments available for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental and behavioral disorder that develops from a traumatic event such as sexual assault. Symptoms may include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or reliving events that occurred.

Medication can serve as an adjunct to the treatments described below.

These treatments include psychodynamic psychotherapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR).

The distinguishing feature of psychodynamic psychotherapy is the focus on the feelings and emotions occurring in therapy sessions. A therapist creates a safe space with non-judgmental emotional support as well as a physically comfortable environment.

The focus of treatment is on the expression of feelings. Victims may experience re-occurring patterns (such as getting into abusive relationships) or reliving the actual experience itself. The concentration in this treatment is on the therapeutic relationship as well as other relationships in the person’s life. This modality is long-term.

The trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatment approach (TF-CBT) is a briefer, recovery-building model for trauma-impacted children, adolescents, and adults that adapts CBT for healing from trauma.

There are several phases to TF-CBT, including learning relaxation skills to calm a physiological response (such as panic), speaking about the trauma, and education about cognitive skills.

Unlike psychodynamic therapy, this modality is more skills-based, intended to develop a method to manage rapidly changing feelings.

This is not to say the individual is discouraged from talking about their experiences, but the chronicle of events is tied to learning to transfer and manage feelings.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is another treatment that deals with distress associated with traumatic memories. During this therapy, the therapist will move his or her fingers back and forth in front of the patient’s face so that the patient is able to follow with his or her eyes. Other people may use a metronome or foot or hand tapping. While the patient follows the rhythmic movement, the therapist will ask the patient to recall a traumatizing event. The therapist then asks the patient to gradually leave their negative thoughts. (For example, feelings of vulnerability can be counteracted by saying repeatedly "I am safe, I can choose who to trust, I can trust myself").

The hallmark of EMDR is the regular back and forth of lateral eye movements—called bilateral stimulation— while focusing on the disturbing memory.

Mental health professionals have made in-roads in the treatment of sexual abuse perpetrators and for those trauma victims who have experienced this abuse.

The future holds promise, cautions, and hope.

To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

Susan J. Lewis, Ph.D., J.D., is a multi-credentialed mental health professional with a unique combination of licensed psychologist, forensic psychologist, and attorney.

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