An Exploration of Contact Child Sexual Exploitation Victim-Perpetrator Interpersonal Dynamics: Providing Indicators of Exploitative Language for Law Enforcement and Safeguarding Agencies

Abstract

Until recently, empirical evidence exploring contact Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) has been scarce, particularly where the convicted perpetrator seeks direct physical (offline) contact as opposed to solely targeting the victim online. This thesis aimed to investigate the relatively unexplored and typically hidden interpersonal dynamics that exist between contact CSE perpetrators and their victims, specifically the verbal and non-verbal communication patterns, when preparing for or during sexual activity, and the retrospective discursive constructions that follow. The thesis aimed to address prior research gaps and build on the existing knowledge by including recognised coding frameworks, analysis of non-verbal patterns of communication and genuine victims as opposed to decoys and explore the potential for victim agency. Data for the research consists of victim and perpetrator language (c. 16,000 words) extracted from 41 contact CSE police case files, involving 50 perpetrators (37 lone offenders and 4 groups) and 80 victims. These data were examined by computer aided psycholinguistic software (Language Inquiry Word Count [LIWC] v.2015) and a multi-modal discourse analysis (sequentially conducted to provide context to the LIWC language variables). The combined quantitative and qualitative analysis within this research suggests that there are distinct contact CSE psycholinguistic features and interpersonal verbal and non-verbal communication patterns that characterise victim-perpetrator dynamics in contact CSE. The thesis findings also revealed that as well as the existence of typical retrospective discursive constructs, perpetrators, and victims of contact CSE would differ in their justifications for their involvement in the CSE relationship whilst in the context of a criminal investigation. This unique research will have implications for safeguarding, law enforcement disruption, research, and practice, in relation to contact CSE, with the introduction of the Indicators of Typical Exploitation (InTEL). The proposed InTEL is intended to be evidence-based and inter-disciplinary, prioritising contact CSE victim-perpetrator language to support clinical, child protection or criminal justice decision making and processes, and for improving awareness and preventative education.