Adolescence is a second birth, with all the traumatic echoes it induces in the parents. The onset of puberty, occurring earlier and earlier in our times, is a crucial moment for analytical treatment when there is a risk of psychosis. The second phase, the symbolic birth into adulthood, should be a time for integrating acting out, masturbation, and boundaries, within an identity open to love thanks to the mourning of childhood and Oedipal objects.
Adolescence, 2017, 35, 1, 83-100.
L’adolescence est une seconde naissance, avec toute la résonance traumatique qu’elle peut induire chez les parents. De plus en plus précoce de nos jours, le début de la puberté est un moment précieux pour la prise en charge analytique d’un risque psychotique. La seconde phase, naissance symbolique à la vie adulte, doit être celle de l’intégration des agirs, de la masturbation et des limites, dans une identité ouverte à l’amour grâce au deuil de l’enfance et des objets œdipiens.
Adolescence, 2017, 35, 1, 83-100.
The French study on sexual aggressors that took place between 1993 and 1996 in eighteen regional medico‑psychological wards compares two kinds of pupulations. One of sexual aggressors and another of aggressors in terms of voluntary blows (witnesses). Such a study shows that the sexual aggressors had been in the past children and adolescents far better integrated than the witnesses within the school circuits. Yet, very early, analyses of their nightmares show with this population a feeling of severe insecurity leading to far more psychological or psychiatric consultations for sleep disorders both in childhood and in adolescence. Among the motives for consultations (which are twice as many as those demanded from the group of witnesses) one can already find out specific sexual behaviours and typical sexual aggressions. Severe sadistic relationships and a premature tendency to serious crualty towards animals (even pets) are one of the major characteristics of sexual agressors. The other major characteristic is that, in one case out of three, a sexual aggression before the age of ten which will be in 75% of the cases repeated in the course of childhood or of adolescence. Yet the analysis of the beginnings of the sexual life of such subjects shows that a greater number of them have been the victims of sexual abuse by either men or women from their surrounding without their being able to analyze such acts as being aggressive. This leads the author to suggest the hypothesis according to which there would exist for such subjects of a “ continuous primary seduction ” in which the aggression act, usually presented as an “initiation” would thus become a “logical” achievement. Finally, such a study shows that acting sexual aggression works as an anti‑depressant from adolescence onwards.
The French study on sexual aggressors that took place between 1993 and 1996 in eighteen regional medico-psychological wards compares two kinds of pupulations. One of sexual aggressors and another of aggressors in terms of voluntary blows (witnesses). Such a study shows that the sexual aggressors had been in the past children and adolescents far better integrated than the witnesses within the school circuits. Yet, very early, analyses of their nightmares show with this population a feeling of severe insecurity leading to far more psychological or psychiatric consultations for sleep disorders both in childhood and in adolescence. Among the motives for consultations (which are twice as many as those demanded from the group of witnesses) one can already find out specific sexual behaviours and typical sexual aggressions. Severe sadistic relationships and a premature tendency to serious crualty towards animals (even pets) are one of the major characteristics of sexual agressors. The other major characteristic is that, in one case out of three, a sexual aggression before the age of ten which will be in 75% of the cases repeated in the course of childhood or of adolescence. Yet the analysis of the beginnings of the sexual life of such subjects shows that a greater number of them have been the victims of sexual abuse by either men or women from their surrounding without their being able to analyze such acts as being aggressive. This leads the author to suggest the hypothesis according to which there would exist for such subjects of a » continuous primary seduction » in which the aggression act, usually presented as an ´initiationª would thus become a ´logicalª achievement. Finally, such a study shows that acting sexual aggression works as an anti-depressant from adolescence onwards.
L’étude française sur les agresseurs sexuels qui s’est déroulée de 1993 à 1996 dans dix-huit Services Médico-Psychologiques Régionaux compare deux cohortes. L’une d’agresseurs sexuels, l’autre d’auteurs de coups et blessures volontaires (« Témoins »). Cette recherche montre que les agresseurs sexuels furent des enfants et adolescents mieux intégrés que les « Témoins » dans les circuits scolaires. Cependant, très tôt des cauchemars reflètent chez eux un sentiment d’insécurité profond ce qui entraîne plus de demandes de consultations psychologiques ou psychiatriques pour troubles du sommeil dans l’enfance et à l’adolescence. Parmi les motifs de consultations (qui sont doubles des « Témoins ») on retrouve déjà des comportements sexuels particuliers et des agressions sexuelles caractérisées. Les relations sadiques sévères et une tendance précoce à la cruauté franche envers les animaux, fussent- ils familiers, sont une caractéristique des agresseurs sexuels. L’autre grande caractéristique est, dans plus d’un cas sur trois, une agression sexuelle avant dix ans, qui sera dans les trois quart des cas multiple ou répétée au cours de l’enfance ou de l’adolescence. Cependant l’exploration des débuts de la vie sexuelle de ces sujets indique qu’un nombre plus important d’entre eux ont été victimes d’agressions sexuelles, par des hommes ou des femmes de leur entourage, sans qu’il soit possible pour eux de repérer ces actes comme des agressions. Cela amène l’auteur à faire l’hypothèse selon laquelle il existe pour de tels sujets une « séduction primaire continue » dont l’acte d’agression, présenté souvent comme une « initiation » serait un aboutissement « logique ». Enfin, cette étude indique que l’acte d’agression sexuelle fonctionne dès l’adolescence comme un comportement anti-dépresseur.
Adolescence, 1998, T. 16 n°1, pp. 293-305.