A minute comparison of the statistics of sexual crimes committed upon adults and of those upon children shows that a part of the latter are of a character quite different from the former. By comparing, for example, the statistics of the civil status of persons arraigned, we see that the number of married men and widowers is proportionately much greater in the case of crimes against children than against adults. The following table shows this:[494]
France, 1876–1880.
| Civil Status. | To 1,000,000 of the Population of Each Group there were Arraigned For Rape Upon | |
| Adults. | Children. | |
| Bachelors | 8 | 37 |
| Married men | 3 | 25 |
| Widowers | 3 | 50 |
A comparison of the statistics of the occupation of the two groups of these criminals (see p. 616) shows that in the crimes upon children, the liberal professions show twice as many as those committed upon adults. The same is true of merchants.[495]
The figures with regard to education show that the illiterate are about equally numerous in both groups of criminals, but that the percentage of those who have a higher education is 5 in the case of crimes upon children, and barely 1 for those upon adults.[496]
While, as we have seen, sexual crimes upon adults are chiefly committed in the country, the cities and manufacturing centers occupy a much more important place in the statistics of those upon children, as the following table proves.[497] [[623]]
France, 1876–1880.
| Residence. | Rape and Indecent Assault Upon | |
| Adults. | Children. | |
| % | % | |
| Rural | 67 | 53 |
| Urban | 27 | 43 |
| Unknown | 6 | 4 |
Contrary to what we find with regard to sexual crimes against adults it is also the departments with the great cities which, in comparison with the rural districts, give the highest figures.[498]
It appears from an examination of these data that sexual crimes upon children and those upon adults have, in part a different etiology. Many sexual crimes upon children are committed by persons who could also satisfy their desires with adults, but abuse children instead. These, then, are cases of sexual perverts.