The DOI matches its Crossref record; 81 of the 82 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Motivation-Facilitation Model of Sexual Offending
Abstract
In this article, I describe the motivation-facilitation model of sexual offending, which identifies the traits of paraphilia, high sex drive, and intense mating effort as primary motivations for sexual offenses, as well as trait (e.g., antisocial personality) and state (e.g., intoxication) factors that can facilitate acting on these motivations when opportunities exist. Originally developed to explain contact sexual offending against children, the motivation-facilitation model was subsequently extended as an explanation for child pornography offending and for online solicitations of young adolescents. Here, I argue it has the potential to be expanded to explain other forms of sexual offending, including sexual assaults of adults and noncontact offenses involving exhibitionism or voyeurism. In this review, I critically examine the evidence for and against the model, discuss its limitations, and identify critical gaps for future research.
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In the citing paper
“In the MFM, offense patterns are shaped by facilitators, such as self-regulation problems and alcohol use, and situational factors, such as access to victims, and absence of supervision.”
From AI-generated child sexual abuse material: what’s the harm? (2026) · cites this paper as Seto 2019
In the citing paper
“Seto's MotivationFacilitation Model (MFM) provides a well-established structure for understanding pathways to sexual offending, particularly differentiating between the motivational factors that drive an individual's interest in CSAM and the facilitation and situational factors that enable offending behavior (Seto 2019).”
From AI-generated child sexual abuse material: what’s the harm? (2026) · cites this paper as Seto 2019
In the citing paper
“Consistent with the MFM (Seto 2019), AI CSAM risks enhancing existing or opening new pathways into offending, either by facilitating the escalation of pornography consumption toward more extreme material or by reducing protective barriers that would otherwise prevent engagement with CSAM by people with a longstanding sexual interest in children.”
From AI-generated child sexual abuse material: what’s the harm? (2026) · cites this paper as Seto 2019
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Cited by
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Kluin, M. H. A., BLOKLAND, A. A. J., & Huisman, W. (2025) · Regulation & Governance · doi:10.1111/rego.70112
Empirically-Based Dynamic Risk and Protective Factors for Sexual Offending
Seto, M. C., Augustyn, C. M., Roche, K. M., & Hilkes, G. (2026) · FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.focus.26024107
Self-citationMarshall, L. E., & Roters, J. (2026) · doi:10.1002/9781394161102.ch5
Christofferson, S. M. B., & Ealam, B. (2026) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632261417666
“Paraphilic arousal also features prominently in leading theoretical perspectives regarding the etiology of sexual of-fending behaviors (e.g., Seto, 2019; Ward & Beech, 2006; Ward & Siegert, 2002).”
The role of antisocial-lifestyle traits in linking childhood maltreatment to sexual offending
Lemeer, N., & Vos, M. K. (2026) · Psychology Crime and Law · doi:10.1080/1068316x.2026.2633697
Etiological Factors and Dark Personality Traits of Pedophiles: A Multiple Case Study
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Lister, V., Gannon, T. A., & Olver, M. E. (2026) · Journal of Sexual Aggression · doi:10.1080/13552600.2026.2640073
Neuroscience of Pedophiles and Child Molesters
Tenbergen, G., Kneer, J., Gibbels, C., & Krueger, T. H. C. (2026) · doi:10.1002/9781118832202.ch27
The Neuroscience of Adolescent and Adult Male Sex Offenders
Morais, H. B., & Joyal, C. C. (2026) · doi:10.1002/9781118832202.ch26
Fréchette, J., & Lussier, P. (2026) · Criminologie Forensique et Sécurité · doi:10.26034/la.cfs.2026.9307
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García-Moreno, R. D. (2025) · Revista Vía Iuris · doi:10.37511/viaiuris.n38a5
“La masculinidad hostil y ciertas parafilias, como la biastofilia, son motivadores centrales de la agresión sexual, al asociarse con la excitación sin consentimiento y con actos de coerción (Seto, 2019).”
Holmes, E. J., Babchishin, K. M., & Liu, Y. (2026) · Journal of Family Violence · doi:10.1007/s10896-026-01105-1
Baskurt, S., O’Donaghy, M., & Babchishin, K. M. (2026) · Sexual Offending Theory Research and Prevention · doi:10.5964/sotrap.16273
“The selection of risk factors such as prior offences, emotional identification with chil dren, impulsivity, substance use, and empathy deficits are grounded in established mod els and empirical research on sexual offending (e.g., Mann et al., 2010; Seto, 2019; Seto et al., 2023).”
InfluentialGannon, T. A., Hales, S., Pellatt-Higgins, T., Evernden, Z., & Best, K. (2021) · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints)
Pedophilia: Incentive Motivational Model
Kwak, J. E., Poole, E. J., Son, S. W. J., Jensen, M. C., Talley, A. P., & Stuart, G. L. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_1679-1
Engel, J., Meyer, C., Kuhle, L. F., & Krüger, T. H. C. (2026) · Psychiatry Psychology and Law · doi:10.1080/13218719.2026.2637111 · Cited by 1
The Person Behind the Crime: Life Stories of Women and Men Who Committed Sexual Crimes
Conde, A. R., Ferreira, A., Cunha, O. S., Peixoto, J., & Sousa, M. (2026) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632261454292
O DELITO DE ONLINE CHILD GROOMING NO CÓDIGO PENAL ESPAÑOL: RETOS ACTUAIS ANTE A TECNOLOXÍA EMERXENTE
Quiroga, K. O. (2026) · Dereito: Revista xuridica da Universidade de Santiago de Compostela · doi:10.15304/dereito.34.0.11298
Jahnke, S., Zakreski, E., Kalenská, L., Bělohlávek, J., Jr., Karousová, T., Krejčová, L., Bártová, K., & Klapilová, K. (2026) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224499.2026.2673382
Al-Juhani, A. A. (2026) · The Saudi Journal of Forensic Medicine and Sciences · doi:10.4103/sjfms.sjfms_1_26
Lievesley, R., Hocken, K., Winder, B., Norman, C., & Kaul, A. (2026) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632261460849
“Despite being identified as key risk factors for both first time sexual offending (Finkelhor, 1984; Seto, 2019; Ward & Beech, 2017) and sexual, violent and general recidivism among individuals convicted of sexual offenses (Hanson et al., 2007; Hanson & Harris, 2000; Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004;…”
Les consommateurs de matériel d’exploitation sexuelle d’enfants : analyses comparatives
Benouamer, C., Libert, B., Janssens, M., Lagneaux, J., & Pham, T. H. (2026) · Annales Médico-psychologiques revue psychiatrique · doi:10.1016/j.amp.2026.06.002
Holt, K. M., Holt, T. J., Brewer, R., Cale, J., Logos, K., & Goldsmith, A. J. (2026) · Journal of Criminology · doi:10.1177/26338076261455620
Pellowski, J. S., Bergner-Köther, R., Schmidt, S., Peschka, L., Höck, M., Briken, P., & von Franqué, F. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1764052
“Our results align with the motivation-facilitation model (Seto, 2019, 2025), where the paraphilic interest acts as a motivator.”
Page, S., Notté, E. P. A., Pearson, I., Ilyas, I., Rozubi, N. C., Anderson, K., Seigfried-Spellar, K. C., Slater, C., & Fry, D. (2026) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/15248380261451792
Meddeb, A., Wallinius, M., Berlin, J., Laporte, N., Karlén, M. H., Mazzeschi, C., Delvecchio, E., Velotti, P., & Garofalo, C. (2026) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.70193
“Alongside the empirical evidence, extensive theoretical developments have been made where ER is increasingly being recognized as an important component of the overarching constructs of self‐ control and self‐regulation (Billen et al. 2022; DeLisi and Vaughn 2014; Seto 2019; Tamir 2021).”
Haubrock, L. S., Hillert, J., Henseler, B., Carvalho, J., Letourneau, E. J., Rahm, C., Seto, M. C., Azevedo, V., Blagden, N., Fix, R. L., et al. (2026) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2026.108235
Self-citationIdentity under threat: internal conflict and stigma in undetected child sexual abuse material users
Němcová, L., Schreier, A., Karousová, T., Kalenská, L., Bianchi, G., Breide, M., Lindegren, S., Ballester‐Arnal, R., Briken, P., Chovanec, M., et al. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1830667
“Prior studies indicate substantial variability among CSAM users in terms of sexual interests, antisociality, self-regulation, and risk trajectories (19, 62, 68).”
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Paraphile Störungen, Sexualdelinquenz und sexuelle Gesundheit
Briken, P. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-3-437-21273-4.00023-9
Cain, S., & Tregidga, J. (2026) · Journal of Sexual Aggression · doi:10.1080/13552600.2026.2717347
Mens, J., Masthoff, E., Heus, P., & Bogaerts, S. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1908178
“…offended against children meet the diagnostic criteria for paedophilic disorder (Gerwinn et al., 2018; Gouveia et al., 2024; Schmidt et al., 2013; Seto, 2009, 2018, 2019), paedophilia has consistently been identified as a robust risk factor for sexual recidi-vism among individuals who have…”
Whitten, T., Cale, J., Salter, M., & Woodlock, D. (2026) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632261491365
Machine-learning classification of documented pedophilic sexual interest from eye-tracking patternsPreprint
Popovic, D., Jordan, K., Fromberger, P., Müller, I., Weyer, C., Vetter, C. S., Falkai, P., Koutsouleris, N., Nedopil, N., Schiltz, K., et al. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-11114979/v1
Badawy, H. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-95-8469-7_6
Gauthier, A., Garant, E., Higgs, T., Ouellet, F., James, J., & Proulx, J. (2026) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632261491362
Nitsche, K., Troeger, A.-S., Städtler, S., Rettenberger, M., Gerwert, F., & Etzler, S. (2026) · Diagnostica · doi:10.1026/0012-1924/a000373
Bueno-Guerra, N. (2026) · Psychiatry Psychology and Law · doi:10.1080/13218719.2026.2740729
Jeglic, E. L., Winters, G. M., & Weiss, E. N. (2026) · Victims & Offenders · doi:10.1080/15564886.2026.2752157
Metadata
- Authors
- Seto, M. C.
- Affiliations
- Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, Brockville, Ontario, Canada
- Corresponding author
- Seto, Michael C.
- ORCID
- Seto, Michael C.
- Venue
- Sexual Abuse
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-07-17
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3-24
- ISSN
- 1079-0632 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-286X
- OpenAlex
- W2737203213
- Cited by
- 339
- References
- 82
- Citations by year
- 2026: 50 · 2025: 47 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 19.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Sexual Abuse (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Keywords
- sexual offending, paraphilias, sexual desire, mating effort, antisocial personality, poisoning, child sexual abuse, exhibitionism, voyeurism, adult sexual assault
- MeSH terms
- Child, Child Abuse, Sexual, Humans, Libido, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Pedophilia, Risk Factors, Sex Offenses, Criminals
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