The person behind the crime: life stories of women and men who committed sexual crimes

OnlineFirst, May 20, 2026
Research on individuals convicted of sexual crimes has focused mainly on risk factors and recidivism. Less attention has been given to how these individuals construct meaning around their life trajectories. This qualitative study explores and compares the life narratives of men and women convicted of sexual crimes. Semi-structured life story interviews were conducted with 11 incarcerated individuals: 4 women and 7 men. Data were analyzed using narrative analysis. Five central narrative themes emerged across participants: family, reclusion, intimate relationships, crime, and substance abuse. Participants described adverse family experiences, relational instability, and ambivalent perceptions of imprisonment. Narratives also revealed a tendency to minimize or avoid direct discussion of sexual offending, while constructing a positive and prosocial self-image oriented toward change and reintegration. Gender differences were observed in identity construction and life trajectories. These findings underscore the importance of narrative identity in understanding individuals convicted of sexual crimes. The results highlight the need for gender-sensitive, narrativeinformed assessment and intervention. Integrating individuals’ dominant narratives into rehabilitation may help reconstruct identity, improve responsiveness to treatment, and support more effective reintegration.
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), under HEI- Lab R&D Unit (UID/05380/2025, UIDP/05380/2020, and UID/PRR/05380/2025; https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05380/2020, https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/05380/2020, and https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/PRR/05380/2025, https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05380/2020. This research was also conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by FCT, I.P. (UID/01662/2023: Centro de Investigação em Psicologia), through national funds.