A study aiming to analyze women who report pedophilic tendencies has raised concerns after including those who “identified with the female gender” among the participants. The study, conducted by the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, used both self-identified biological sex and gender identity, and reported that up to 10% of women were pedophiles.
The study included participants who were at least 18 years old, were born as female or “identify with the female gender,” and self-identified as having sexual attraction to children under the age of 14. The authors note that they excluded individuals who identify as male, and use the keywords “female pedophilia” and “female-perpetrated offenses” in their outline.
According to the paper, which published on August 17, “paraphilic interests in females, such as pedophilic interest, have been neglected in research” when compared to males. They also claim that research into the prevalence of pedophilia amongst females yielded results ranging from “0.4 to 9.6%.”
As research on women with pedophilic tendencies is rare, the study took a survey approach by asking participants questions about what caused them to be sexually attracted to minors and their experiences getting professional help. The study found that most participants believe past experiences, including abusive or non-abusive sexual experiences during childhood, likely caused their sexual interest in children.
In addition, 30% of participants noted that they’ve sought frequent help to treat their pedophilic tendencies but reported having negative experiences. Some in the sample reportedly asserted that “the destigmatization of [sexual interest in children]” was necessary for female pedophiles to seek professional help.
Of the 50 participants, 46 self-identified as “female assigned at birth.” Among them, 37 said they “identify with the female gender,” five said they “identify with the male and female gender,” four indicated that they identify with another gender or “no gender at all,” and, most notably, three admitted to being “assigned male at birth.”
One of the participants admitted to being in a romantic “relationship” with a minor aged 12, but the survey did not state that any safeguarding interventions were being pursued.
Although the study pointed to some limitations in collecting results, none referred to the study’s inclusion of males. Instead, the authors highlighted that the most significant obstacle was because the sample size was “small and not representative.”
The shocking decision to include trans-identified males in a study about female sexual deviance comes on the heels of multiple controversies surrounding the attribution of male crimes to women.
On social media, some women’s rights advocates have taken to utilizing the hashtag “notourcrimes” to call attention to instances where media or even law enforcement obfuscate the sex of a criminal.
One of the most egregious cases in recent months was covered by Reduxx in August after media reported that a “woman” in Ringwood, UK was arrested on charges including indecent exposure and the possession of child sexual abuse materials.
On August 11, Samantha Norris, 55, was taken into custody in connection to an indecent exposure incident in which two young girls had reported being targeted.
While details on the case were limited, Norris was ultimately charged with two counts of exposure but also faces a host of other disturbing charges including three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, possession of a prohibited image of a child, and possession of an extreme pornographic image.
But the disturbing story quickly began to raise suspicion amongst users on X (formerly Twitter) after some noticed inconsistencies in the local media coverage. Most outlets referred to Norris as a “female” or a “woman,” with others avoiding the use of any pronouns.
Many users on social media pointed out that the crimes Norris had been accused of are typically committed by males, and that it was very rare for a suspect accused of sexual crimes against children, especially those involving hoarding child sexual abuse materials, to be female.
After being contacted by Reduxx, the arresting police force stated that Norris “identifies as a woman.”
https://reduxx.info/german-study-on-female-pedophiles-included-trans-identified-male-participants/
