• Sexual Behaviour: Behaviours beyond those expected for age (e.g. vaginal or oral intercourse, simulating intercourse with clothes off, sexually explicit proposals, compulsive masturbation). Behaviours become repetitive or obsessive. They are planned. They are not isolated events.

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• Nature of Interaction: Use of force, coercion, secrecy, or all three. Force may be physical or social in nature. It may involve threats, bribes, trickery, persuasion, intimidation, or peer pressure, potentially aimed at preventing the victim from disclosing. Any sexual acts unwanted by recipient. Any sadistic quality such as humiliation or degradation. The victim will present as having less power and control. There's likely to be a disparity in age; size; status; IQ; emotional vulnerability, and so on.

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• Emotional Behaviour: A range of emotional responses are associated with HSB, including: anger, rage, fear, loneliness, a lack of empathy for victims, and excitement or arousal. HSB may be a maladaptive coping mechanism to regulate emotional states. 

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• Motivation: Young people at risk of abusive behaviour may display a need to reduce negative feelings, e.g. fear, anger, loneliness, anxiety, guilt. They may exhibit a need for power and control. Other motivations could include a need to raise low self-esteem, achieve sexual gratification, or a compulsive re-enactment of their own abuse.