Overview
- Researchers from Reinserta and the National Institute of Psychiatry presented the FADES study and an accompanying exhibition at the Museo Memoria y Tolerancia on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
- The mixed quantitative and qualitative research screened 511 people sentenced for sexual crimes against minors and conducted 21 in-depth interviews to probe causes and patterns of abuse.
- Lead investigators reported that most perpetrators do not show paraphilic disorders or a single psychiatric profile and that only 3.1% screened positive for paraphilic symptoms.
- The study found offenses were driven mainly by situational opportunity, cognitive distortions about childhood consent, and social patterns, with perpetrators often minimizing harm and feeling guilt chiefly for personal or legal consequences.
- Authors and Reinserta urged federal action to move prevention off children and onto adults through school and community programs on consent, body autonomy and changing norms, framed by Mexico’s high national rates of child sexual abuse.