Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education
Vol. 6 No. 4 (2026): August

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

Zamroni Zamroni (Universitas Islam Sultan Agung, Semarang, Indonesia)
Nailul Mukorobin (Universitas Islam Sultan Agung, Semarang, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Aug 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.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jshe

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

The Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education (JSHE) is a peer-reviewed, open access scholarly journal publishing high-quality manuscripts in forms of original research articles, review articles, book reviews, case reports, and discussions to answer important and interesting questions, develop or ...