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Article Details

Vol. 6 No. 4 (2026): August

Psychological Dynamics of Sexual Violence Perpetrators: An ITSO-Based Qualitative Case Study in Semarang

https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v6.n4.p393-406.2026

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores the psychological dynamics of perpetrators of sexual violence against adult women in Semarang from a perpetrator-focused perspective, which remains underexplored in Indonesian research.

Research Methodology: A qualitative case study design framed by the Integrated Theory of Sexual Offending (ITSO) was employed. Three male inmates of the Class I Semarang Penitentiary convicted of sexual offences against adult female victims were selected through purposive sampling and were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. Data were analyzed thematically through a deductive framework approach based on the four ITSO domains, with validity supported by member checking and by peer debriefing.

Results: Four interacting domains emerged: developmental vulnerabilities rooted in adverse childhood experiences; dysfunction of the motivation and emotion system; cognitive distortions within the perception and memory system; and failure of the action-selection and control system.

Limitations: The study involved only three participants from a single correctional institution, limiting transferability, and the analysis was conducted by a single coder without inter-rater reliability checks.

Conclusions: Sexual offending against adult women reflects an interconnected cycle of psychological dysfunction in which early vulnerability, affect dysregulation, cognitive distortion, and control failure reinforce each other.

Contributions: This study represents one of the first applications of the ITSO framework to perpetrators of sexual violence against adult women in an Indonesian correctional setting and provides a basis for developing evidence-based rehabilitation and prevention programs to reduce sexual recidivism.

Keywords

Adult Women Forensic Psychology Integrated Theory of Sexual Offending Psychological Dynamics Sexual Violence

How to Cite

Zamroni, Z. (2026). Psychological Dynamics of Sexual Violence Perpetrators: An ITSO-Based Qualitative Case Study in Semarang. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 6(4), 393–406. https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v6.n4.p393-406.2026

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Authors

Zamroni Zamroni
Universitas Islam Sultan Agung, Semarang, Indonesia

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Vol. 6 No. 4 (2026): August
Section: Articles
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