Jaycee Lee Dugard’s captor would have carefully groomed her, according to a Kingston University expert

04 September 2009 Kingston University

Jaycee Lee Dugard’s captor would have carefully groomed her over a period of years into accepting both her circumstances and his relationship with her, according to a criminologist from Kingston University, in South West London. Professor Julia Davidson, an eminent researcher known for her work with violent offenders and victims of sex abuse, said the offender would have used a mixture of threats and force to control the 11 year old and make her accept her new life in captivity as normal.

Here Professor Davidson, a co-director of the Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies (CATS), gives an insight into some of the key questions journalists have been asking about the case.

* How would an offender manage to develop a relationship with his victim?

The offender would have used threats and force initially. He would have carefully groomed Jaycee over a period of years in to accepting both her circumstances and his relationship with her. He may also have lied to her particularly as a child, perhaps suggesting that he was acting for her parents or that they were unwell. He would have groomed her children and socialised them into accepting their life as 'normal'. He kept them away from the health and education services and was able to indulge his fantasy in this way.

* Why wouldn’t Jaycee have tried to run away?

She may have been in fear for herself and her children. Her captor may also have groomed them so successfully that they became accepting of their existence as being 'normal'.

* What sort of trauma is she likely to have experienced? How might Jaycee Lee Dugard now return to normal society?

Jaycee and her children will need ongoing therapy both to overcome the experience and to enable full reintegration into society. The children may be illiterate and will certainly have to be educated.

* How will Jaycee rebuild her relationship with her mother?

Her mother should join her in therapy. Her parents will feel elated immediately but will then have doubts regarding her captivity and failure to escape sooner. Therapy should help address emotional and psychological issues but will need to be long term.

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