Roberto Catanesi

The Role of Fantasy in a Serial Sexual Offender: A Brief Review of the Literature and a Case Report

Abstract:  Extensive research has attempted to elucidate the role of fantasy in sexual offending. In this paper, the authors summarize the main results of the literature, especially the contents, themes, dynamics, etiopathogenesis, and potential functions of fantasy in sexual offending. Further, the authors analyze the case of a serial sexual offender who assaulted 39 women. The forensic‐psychiatric assessment revealed that his fantasies of forced sex, sexual coercion, and dominance, which were linked to narcissistic personality organization and functioning, were the primary drive mechanism in his crimes, because he imagined himself in the role of the aggressor, identified with the power associated with the role of perpetrator, and was sexually aroused by such images of omnipotent control of the victim. In conclusions, the authors suggest that fantasies of sexual aggression, coercion, and dominance of women may stimulate grandiosity and omnipotence and, in a minority of cases, may lead to sexual offending.

Violent Patients: What Italian Psychiatrists Feel and How This Could Change Their Patient Care

The study takes a detailed look at psychiatric patient violence towards their psychiatrists. It takes into consideration the views and opinions of Italian psychiatrists, whether they have experienced violent behaviour first hand and, if so, which type of aggression and whether this caused them to modify their behaviour towards the patient and his or her treatment. A multiple-choice questionnaire is sent to all members of the Italian Society of Psychiatry, with 1,202 psychiatrists responding (20.23% of the sample). The data are evaluated using SPSS with chi-square test calculations for discrete and continuous variables and t-testing for independent samples (significance p < .05). Almost all psychiatrists (90.9%) have experienced verbal aggression; 72% have been threatened with dangerous objects and 64.58% have suffered physical aggression. Physical aggression experiences result in a 50% increase in the probability of modifying ones therapeutic behaviour. Significant differences emerge between the psychiatrists, according to differences in age and career experience. Psychiatrists state that they do not consider themselves to be adequately prepared to deal with the violence of patients, and almost all psychiatrists felt the need for specific training in how to manage such violence.

A serial killer of elderly women: Analysis of a multi-victim homicide investigation

Between 1995 and 1997, in the territories of Southern Italy, there were fifteen murders of elderly women over the age of 70 years old. Initially, however, not all the murders were attributed to a single serial killer. The majority of the victims were stabbed multiple times in the neck, except for three cases in which the cause of death was manual strangulation. There was evidence of sexual assault in only one of the cases. All the victims were discovered in their own apartments, which were located on the ground level, with no signs of forced entry. In most of the cases, the offender stole money and/or jewellery. A multi-disciplinary team reviewed the cases during the investigation and created a profile of the killer. The team determined that the method of operation was completely unusual for the local criminal element. They suggested that the perpetrator could be an immigrant, who committed the murders for sexual motivation and who may have been arrested previously for sex-related incidents. On 15th September 1997, a suspect was arrested. He was identified as Ben Mohamed Ezzedine Sebai, a 35-year-old white male, originally from Tunisia. He was charged and convicted of four of the murders and was given a life sentence. In 2005, Sebai confessed to the murders of four additional elderly women, for which nine other people had already been previously tried and convicted, among them, a man who committed suicide in jail. In 2007, Sebai finally confessed to committing fifteen murders that occurred between 1995 and 1997. Sebai also admitted to experiencing sexual gratification at every homicide scene, even though there was no physical proof at most of the crime scenes. The goal of this article is to illustrate a little-known but noteworthy case concerning a serial sexual killer of elderly women that occurred in Southern Italy, highlighting the method of operation, the victim selection process, and the injuries inflicted. The article will also discuss his motivation, the mental health history of the offender, his clinical diagnosis, and his self-reported childhood abuse.

Child starvation and neglect: a report of two fatal cases.

Fatal starvation is a rare cause of death in industrialised countries. In such cases, investigation of death is never an easy task for forensic pathologists who need to couple autopsy findings with full investigation of the crime scene and family record to establish if death results from deliberate neglect, maltreatment and withholding of food. The present article describes two cases of death caused by child neglect. The first case involved a 16-month-old female who died from starvation with dehydration as a contributing factor. In the second case a 7-year-old girl died from ultimate aspiration of stomach contents that had been vomited during the childs last meal because of the fecal concretions blocking the intestinal passage. In both cases macroscopic and histological findings revealed severe chronic malnutrition; crime scene investigations confirmed stories of child maltreatment and neglect.

Cannabis use and violent behaviour: a psychiatric patients cohort study in Southern Italy

UNLABELLED An ample volume of research evidence supports the conclusion that drug use/abuse is correlated with violent behavior. Some studies have shown that co-morbidity also appears to be predictive of violent behavior. The research evidence indicates gender differences, while socio-economic and familial factors play a role, too. METHOD We conducted a retrospective study of the clinical files of four public psychiatric outpatient facilities during five years. The objectives of the research were to identify and analyze relationships between: a) cannabis use/abuse and violent behavior and b) cannabis use/abuse, psychopathology, and violent behavior. The study sample consisted of 1,582 subjects. The data, gathered in a dedicated database, were processed by applying univariate and multivariate analysis models. RESULTS Subjects who used/abused cannabis showed a high prevalence of violent behavior, Regardless of the type of psychiatric disorder, the use of cannabis appears to be an evident risk factor. Significant correlations also emerged between cannabis use/abuse and the type of violent behavior, especially self-inflicted injury. Evidence also emerged that other factors are implicated. This is consistent with the current literature proposing multi-casual explanations of violent behavior.

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Two Serial Sexual Murder Series in Italy and the United States

Abstract:  There have been few documented comparisons of serial murder cases committed in the United States with cases occurring internationally. The authors contrasted two unique serial murder series: one in Italy and one in the United States by examining the details of both series, including the M.O., motivation, crime scene interactions, sexual acts performed, and the general backgrounds of both offenders. The comparison revealed a number of similarities. Both offenders specifically targeted elderly women, who were attacked in their residences. The two series involved sexually motivated crimes, although the sexual interactions were different. Both offenders stole objects from their victims after the murders and each kept newspaper accounts of their crimes. In addition, both offenders claimed to have abusive upbringings, including sexual abuse.

Treatment decision-making capacity in non-consensual psychiatric treatment: a multicentre study

AIMS To evaluate treatment decision-making capacity (DMC) to consent to psychiatric treatment in involuntarily committed patients and to further investigate possible associations with clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients. METHODS 131 involuntarily hospitalised patients were recruited in three university hospitals. Mental capacity to consent to treatment was measured with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T); psychiatric symptoms severity (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, BPRS-E) and cognitive functioning (Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE) were also assessed. RESULTS Mental capacity ratings for the 131 involuntarily hospitalised patients showed that patients affected by bipolar disorders (BD) scored generally better than those affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) in MacCAT-T appreciation (p < 0.05) and reasoning (p < 0.01). Positive symptoms were associated with poorer capacity to appreciate (r = -0.24; p < 0.01) and reason (r = -0.27; p < 0.01) about ones own treatment. Negative symptoms were associated with poorer understanding of treatment (r = -0.23; p < 0.01). Poorer cognitive functioning, as measured by MMSE, negatively affected MacCAT-T understanding in patients affected by SSD, but not in those affected by BD (SSD r = 0.37; p < 0.01; BD r = -0.01; p = 0.9). Poorer MacCAT-T reasoning was associated with more manic symptoms in the BD group of patients but not in the SSD group (BD r = -0.32; p < 0.05; SSD r = 0.03; p = 0.8). Twenty-two per cent (n = 29) of the 131 recruited patients showed high treatment DMC as defined by having scored higher than 75% of understanding, appreciating and reasoning MacCAT-T subscales maximum sores and 2 at expressing a choice. The remaining involuntarily hospitalised patients where considered to have low treatment DMC. Chi-squared disclosed that 32% of BD patients had high treatment DMC compared with 9% of SSD patients (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Treatment DMC can be routinely assessed in non-consensual psychiatric settings by the MacCAT-T, as is the case of other clinical variables. Such approach can lead to the identification of patients with high treatment DMC, thus drawing attention to possible dichotomy between legal and clinical status.

Coexistence and Independence Between a Mental Disorder and Female Stalking

Abstract:  There are few studies of female stalkers in literature addressing different study populations. There appears to be a high incidence of mental disease among female stalkers, having an important role in inducing the harassment. We present a woman affected by a bipolar disorder who had a long affair with her victim, broken off in 2007. Stalking began in January 2009 and continued for 6 months, during which time she was not taking drugs and was in a decompensated clinical phase. In July 2009, she was denounced for harassment; the authorities demanded a psychiatric examination. The woman then resumed taking the medication regularly. In December 2009, although she was in complete remission, she began stalking once more. This case shows that even when there seems to be an evident relation between psychopathology and crime, it is always necessary to evaluate to what extent the mental disorder is responsible for the criminal behavior.

Elderly Residents at Risk for Being Victims or Offenders

The phenomenon of elderly sexual offenders is poorly catalogued, and is especially complex. In institutions, elderly people are often unrecognized victims of sexual abuse but are also at great risk for doing abuse toward vulnerable victims like children. The lack of attention to an elders basic needs can endanger or impair not only his or her health or safety but also that of other people living close together. In this article, for the first time we describe an episode of sexual abuse realized by an institutionalized patient toward a young visitor. This specific risk factor in a residential care home for elderly may lead to a variety of negative behavioral outcomes, including the perpetration of child sexual offending. As the elderly population will increase tremendously in the next years, it is necessary to better understand the motivations and psychological factors relating to elderly sex offenders, to prevent these offenses, and to define standards for surveillance of residents who are potential perpetrators.

Elderly Sexual Offenders: Two Unusual Cases

Abstract:  The aim of this case report is to describe two cases of sexual abuse by elderly subjects for which the Judge commissioned an expert psychiatric–forensic opinion. The elderly are generally believed to commit nonviolent crimes, whereas the two cases we observed feature forcible rape committed by elderly offenders, who showed no form of mental disease and had rationally planned their offense. They had never previously committed similar acts and had no history of homosexuality; both had been married for many years before the death of their wives and had adult children. Finally, no previous episodes of rape emerged in their personal histories during interrogations. The sociocultural context in which the crimes were committed was identical and arouses interest as regards both the method employed and how the crimes were discovered. The legal authorities then commissioned accurate investigations including medicolegal and psychiatric–forensic evaluations of the offenders and their victims.