Maternal Abusers: Underlying concerns for children

Child sexual abuse is an emotive topic, which raises public fears and political concerns. Commonly the perpetrators of such abuse are male and their victims female, but evidence suggests that there are a significant number of female perpetrators as well. It is the perceived gendered nature of the crime that creates a stumbling block to the recognition of women who sexually abuse and can silence the child victims. Using data from a wider research project, this paper examines the ways in which female perpetrators rationalise their behaviours and in doing so considers what part these justifications play in silencing the child victims.