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Treatment & Ethical Issues Working with Sex Offenders

Treatment & Ethical Issues Working with Sex Offenders. L. Alvin Malesky, Jr., Ph.D. Western Carolina University. Treatment of Sex Offenders. Most treatment programs for sex offenders are cognitive behavioral Cognitive Distortions Groups Challenge but not Abuse Victim Empathy

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Treatment & Ethical Issues Working with Sex Offenders

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  1. Treatment & Ethical Issues Working with Sex Offenders L. Alvin Malesky, Jr., Ph.D. Western Carolina University

  2. Treatment of Sex Offenders • Most treatment programs for sex offenders are cognitive behavioral • Cognitive Distortions • Groups • Challenge but not Abuse • Victim Empathy • Relapse Prevention • Psychoeducational Groups

  3. I believe that sex with children can make the child feel closer to adults. • Since some victims tell the offender it feels good when the offender touches them, the child probably enjoys it and it probably won’t affect the child much. • Many children who are sexually assaulted do not experience any major problems because of the assaults. • Sometimes, touching a child sexually is a way to show love and affection. • Sometimes children don’t say no to sexual activity because they are curious about sex or enjoy it. • When kids don’t tell that they were involved in sexual activity with an adult it is probably because they liked it or weren’t bothered by it. Having sexual thoughts and fantasies about a child isn’t all that bad because at least it is not really hurting the child. • If a person does not use force to have sexual activity with a child, it will not harm the child as much. • Some people are not “true” child molesters - they are just out of control and made a mistake. 

  4. Behavioral Therapies • Covert Sensitization • Olfactory Aversion • Masturbatory Satiation

  5. Treatment of Sex Offenders (Cont.) Organic Treatments • Neurosurgery • Surgical Castration • Chemical Castration

  6. Ethical Issues in Working with Sex Offenders • Provide the individual with a forensic warning • Use collateral information • Balance the needs of the community with treatment needs of the offender • Know your limits • Don’t lose your humanity or let the work affect your personal life.

  7. Ethical Issues in Working with Sex Offenders (Cont.) • Sex offender profiles for court • Federal courts will not allow mental health expert to testify that a defendant could or could not have committed a sex crime. • Can use profiles to assist law enforcement? • What do you do with offenders who deny having committed the offense that they have been found guilty of having committed?

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