Sexual Offending by Strangers

Exploring a specific type of sexual violence committed by a specific type of sexual offender, namely adult male on adult female stranger sexual violence, this book provides readers with an enhanced understanding of both the offences being committed and the offenders who commit them.

Although acts of serious stranger sexual violence are rare, they are important as they occur in the context of there being no pre-existing relationship between the offender and victim, meaning they present significant challenges to criminal justice practitioners who are required to investigate, assess and understand such offending. Arguing for the importance of adopting an ideographic perspective, this book encourages readers to draw upon a variety of different theories and models as appropriate, such as considering the impact of a behavioural conditioning process, where sexual violence is a manifestation of prior learning or early life experiences. Divided into four sections, this comprehensive volume guides the reader through key concepts, different types of stranger sexual violence, and applications to criminal justice practice.

Sexual Offending by Strangers will be of use to police officers, prison officers, and practitioners working with offenders in either secure or community settings. It will also be of value to students and scholars researching the topic of sexual violence.

Paul V. Greenall, PhD, has spent most of his working life in secure hospitals. He started at Ashworth Hospital, near Liverpool, as an administrator before becoming a research psychologist there. He then worked in Forensic/Clinical practice within the secure units of Prestwich Hospital in Manchester. Dr Greenall is presently a principal forensic psychologist (HCPC registered) working within the mental health in-reach teams of several male prisons in the northwest of England. In all these roles, Dr Greenall has interviewed, researched, assessed, and worked clinically with a range of mentally disordered offenders, and from this he developed a particular interest in the assessment and formulation of sexual violence. Dr Greenall has also held academic posts at universities in Liverpool and Manchester and has lectured on Forensic Psychology to undergraduates and postgraduates. He is presently a senior lecturer in Forensic Psychology at Edge Hill University, a fellow of the High Education Academy, and a visiting fellow at the University of Huddersfield.