06 4 / 2012
the cycle of violence theory
Another theory that can relate to the previous one in one way is the idea that sexual abuse offenders may have been abused themselves therefore their sexual deviant behaviour is learnt. This theory is called the cycle of violence theory. It is the idea that when someone is a victim of sexual abuse they may experience a mass of negative feelings, following this the victim will try to make sense of the offenders behaviour by attempting to identify themselves with his/her abuser and participate in the same behaviour they have experienced by abusing someone else. Gibson, C and VanDiver, M (2008)
