The influence of paraphilic behaviors on the modus operandi of sexual offenders
This study examines the effect of paraphilic behaviors on the criminal process and modus operandi of rapists. We consider several dimensions of paraphilic behaviors, such as whether or not they were present, how often they were found, and the type of such behaviors if present. The research is based on a sample of 3,253 cases of rape committed in France, 2,513 of which were committed by individuals without paraphilic behaviors, while 740 involved perpetrators who presented at least one paraphilic behavior. The sample was restricted to those whose victims were aged 16 years or above and who did not know the perpetrator at the time of the offense. A combination of bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the data. Three different models of regression (binomial, negative binomial, and multinomial) were used to test the different dimensions related to paraphilic behavior. Findings indicate strong differences between the modus operandi used by paraphilic and non-paraphilic offenders. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings in relation to the decision-making process of sex offenders, offender profiling, and criminal investigation.