Serial rapists are far more common than we thought, study reveals

CLEVELAND — A study of sexual assaults based on the testing of nearly 5,000 backlogged rape kits in Cleveland has revealed that serial rapists are far more common than imagined.

The study by researchers from the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at Case Western Reserve University was based on the data of hundreds of sexual assaults committed between 1993 and 2010.

The research shows 51 percent of 243 sexual assaults studied were committed by serial offenders, according to research published on the Begun Center website.

The majority of both serial and one-time offenders had felony-level criminal histories before their documented sexual assaults. The study also shows that 74 percent of serial offenders had at least one previous felony arrest prior to committing rape, and 95 percent went on to commit at least one felony level crime.

Serial offenders and one-time offenders differed in how and where they committed their crimes. For example, serial offenders often kidnap their victims before verbally and physically threatening them — commonly with weapons — whereas one-time offenders were more likely to punch, slap or restrain their victims.

In addition, serial offenders were more likely to assault their victims outdoors, in a vehicle or a garage, while one-time offenders often commit rapes in their own home or the victim’s home, and were more likely to participate in gang rapes.

The research shows serial offenders often target a mixture of strangers and acquaintances, while one-time offenders tend to target known individuals.