Are people with Asperger's capable of sexual abuse?

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I absolutely do not mean to offend anyone, or suggest that this is a common behavior or tendency among those on the spectrum.

I only ask because my therapist is pointing out more behaviors I have and my boss is pointing out more mannerisms I display that make people uncomfortable and get in the way of my meeting my "true potential," whatever that means.

My therapist asked me about my parents' behaviors. My father and I have the same interpersonal difficulties, although he was able to be successful for 30 years until he retired. He is an alcoholic, and he sexually abused my sister and physically abused me since I met him at age 2. My parents never displayed affection in a casual sense in front of me nor my sister, although they did have loud sex out in the open regardless of whether we were still awake (this was common during vacations and when family members stayed over on some occasions). I wonder whether my difficulties in romantic relationships relate to sensory issues or things I observed when younger.

My father has always had difficulty recognizing people's faces and facial expressions. I am the same, although I have a harder time discerning emotions in people's vocal intonation. When he is angry, it is more like a black-out rage, and he is very abusive.

I just have a hard time thinking there is a believable relationship between sexual abuse, physical abuse, and someone possibly having Asperger's. Aside from the cruelty, I am actually quite similar to my father, and it disgusts me.

Are people with Asperger's capable of sexual abuse?
Yes.

Absolutely yes.

Yes, but there's no evidence that I know of that it's any more or less common autistics/aspies than the general population.

Absolutely grade-A f*****g yes.
I'm guessing common occurrence when we fail to read their body/non-verbal language.
As for stats, difficult to collect I guess. Slight tangent, but trying to collect data on guys being abused in relationships is problematic enough, let alone throwing autistics/aspies into the mix...

Yes. I know of two cases where the men did jail time. One was fondling a 14 year old girl after school, and the other was sending sexually explicit pictures of himself to a minor boy.

The sad thing was, neither man had any clue what was "wrong". It destroyed their families. In my state, child sex abusers can not live so many feet from a playground/school. One family had to sell their house because it was right next to a play ground.

There is no magic force that stops aspies from commiting sexual abuse, but allows NTs TO commit sexual abuse. It happens among NTs,so it probably happens among aspies.

Does aspergers cause men to sexually abuse? The answer is I doubt it. My guess is that folks with aspergers are neither more, nor less, likely to sexually abuse than NTs. Your Dad may well have been aspie himself from how you describe him, but even if he is one then that was only one of many issues in his life.

But I suspect that what you're really worried about is this: whether or not you are destined to become your dad, and do the things he did.

The fact that this worries you already shows that you're better than he is.

But if that IS indeed what's on your mind - then thats a lot to deal with. You should see a professional to just to help with having that concern on your mind.

I read a story by someone who was raped by an autistic person when she was 15.

I have also saw a news story online about an aspie raping a woman or sexually abusing a child, I don't remember which.

and google aspergerarionstar2009.


There are bad apples in the autism community. Thy exist in every community; NT, black, Judaism, ADD, parents, childfree, gaming, etc. Anyone in any community can do sexual abuse.


Also don't get me started on child porn and autism connection.

Yes, why not? I think the obsessive side to the Asperger personality along with a lack of awareness about nonverbal cues could contribute to it. Thinking of what Leaguegirl wrote below - I think it is possible that the childish side of many people on the Spectrum might make age inappropriate behavior not seem so age inappropriate to some. On the other end - the awkwardness, the tendency to trust and the tendency to hold things in and in some cases lack of verbalization by many people on the Autism spectrum might set them up as perfect victims.

Yes since its happened with me many many times.

I don't think Autism causes sexual predators, but what I do think what it sets up is the Aspie blundering into a situation, that the average NT would avoid.

The sex crime laws have so little wiggle room. The two men I wrote about were in their mid twenties, and function at a 12-14 year old level socially. They didn't see themselves as "adults". Their lives were very much tween/teen like, and the families didn't give them much information on how to handle sexuality.

The victims were later teens. You can not give consent if you are under age, and as the judge said, even if the victim took off all her clothes, you have to walk away. A minor is a minor.

Neither of these men knew about consent laws. I think the average NT man would have quickly figured out that the victims were under age, and left the situation.

The intent was different. The men weren't actively hunting down victims to molest, they were so socially behind as to be clueless. But the law doesn't see it that way, so both have to register on the sex offender list for life.

I feel that's a result of society infantilizing people with mental disabilities, if the parents keep viewing their child as a "forever child". If things were right the parents would be punished for neglecting to acknowledge their disabled child as being an adult. By punishment I mean community service or parenting classes.