Preventative Services for Sexual Offenders

Abstract

The role of primary prevention of sexual offences is an understudied area. The current study examined a sample ( N = 100) of men charged or convicted of a sexual offence to determine their interest in interventions that could be offered prior to offending, reasons for not seeking out interventions in the past, and demographic information including onset of deviant sexual fantasy and interests. The majority indicated that preventative interventions, including individual and group treatment, would have been beneficial, but inaccessibility of interventions and fear of arrest prevented them from seeking services. The findings suggest that men who progress to committing a sexual offence are interested in preventative interventions but require information regarding availability of accessible support and the development of primary prevention structures to fulfill society's desire to prevent sexual offending.

Primary and secondary prevention of child sexual abuse

“…McCartan et al (2018) reported that some individuals were hesitant to search for available services online or disclose their sexual issues to a healthcare provider in order to get a treatment referral, as they were uncertain of the legal consequences of these actions. These findings are in line with another recent study, which found that barriers to treatment included participants' concerns they would be arrested or labeled as a sexual deviant, as well as concerns about privacy and anonymity (Piché et al, 2018). These concerns may be especially prominent for individuals who are sexually attracted to children but have not acted on this sexual interest.…”

“…For MAP, sexual attraction to children is likely an inherent part of the motivation to engage in CSA, yet research has indicated that other underlying motivators may also contribute to their offending behaviour, including abuse in childhood (Nunes et al, 2013;Sullivan & Sheehan, 2016), cognitive distortions and abuse-supportive attitudes (Helmus et al, 2013), desire for intimacy and emotional gratification (Ward et al, 1993), and the use of maladaptive coping mechanisms that may indirectly lead to sexual offending (Ward et al, 2007). In some cases, MAP spend years successfully resisting their urge to engage in CSA (Piché et al, 2018), until the accumulation of multiple life stressors act as a catalyst for the transition from sexual interest to sexual behaviour (Leclerc et al, 2016). Studies have shown that a number of underlying motivations for engaging in CSA are endorsed by those both with and without a sexual interest in children.…”

“…Consequently, a successful public health approach also requires strategies for reducing the stigma of the term "pedophilia", and mental health treatment in general. It has been suggested that utilizing a widespread marketing campaign to begin changing the social and political climate toward this issue is a crucial first step to implementing improved public health initiatives against sexual offending (Piché et al, 2018). Tozdan and Briken (2015) have theorized that self-efficacy -an individual's belief that they are in control of their own behaviours and the events that shape their lives (Bandura, 1997) -may play a role in MAPs ability to change their sexual interest.…”

“…Of the 476 individuals who contacted PPD within the first 18 months, 43% elected to be assessed for treatment (Beier et al, 2009a). Piché et al (2018) found that 91% of their sample of convicted sex offenders said they would consider using a preventative service in the future if needed, and 61% said they would have previously used a preventative service had it been available or known to them. The latter statement was more likely to be endorsed by participants who reported greater concerns about their problematic sexual interests.…”

Applying moral foundations theory to understanding public views of sexual offending

“…As long as the social consensus remains punitive in nature, these kinds of preventative and rehabilitative schemes are unlikely to be accessible to those who need help, through fear of social and judicial reprisals, and self-stigmatization (Jahnke & Hoyer, 2013;Piché, Mathesius, Lussier, & Schweighofer, 2016).…”