Correlation between socio-demographic factors and profile of the rapist in Bulgaria

Abstract

Introduction

Sexual abuse is of great public and high degree of public danger.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of specific socio-demographic factors among sex crime offenders.

Material

The subjects of study are 66 individuals in total, testified by expert psychiatrist and subsequently charged by law as of December 2010, up until today.

Methods

Patient record, providing information about different socio-demographic factors. Retrospective research of the available medical documentation. A statistician conducts data research analysis, using specialised software statistical packages for Statgraphics.

Results

The highest percentage of the participants are from the age groups between 15–24 and 45–54 years old. Both age groups consist of 18 people (27%). The two groups with the lowest percentage of sex offenders are the ones between 25–34 –6 (9%) and above 64–6 (9%). The biggest share have secondary education–26 (40%), followed by those with elementary education–24 (36%). The smallest percentage are those with higher education – 2 (3%). There is no statistically significant correlation between the research sample and their residence–34 (51%) live in a city and 32 (49%) – In a village. There is also not a significant difference in their ethnical origins. The biggest percentage of sex offenders have been raised by both parents – 54 (82%).

Conclusions

Sex offenders represent an exceptionally heterogeneous group, our study did not find significant correlation of socio-demographic factors and the profile of the rapist.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.