Sexual Child Abuse: Exploring the Thesis

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The former has proved to be overly adverse in effect to the extent that it invalidated any positive effect. Other drug types such as neuroleptics have also only had limited effects in treating sex offenders.

Grossman, Martis and Fichtner (1999, p. 351) refer to the advent of antiandrogen medications as "among the most important" of biological interventions for sex offenders. These medications reduce the serum level of testosterone, with the effect that devious sexual fantasies and behavior are also reduced. In addition, the authors cite studies indicating that such medications also reduce other sexual functions such as libido, erections, ejaculations, and sprematogenesis. In terms of somatic treatments, the authors indicate that antiandrogen medications have so far proven to be the most effective.

On the other end of the spectrum is psychological and behavioral treatment, as it specifically manifests in cognitive-behavioral interventions (Grossman, Martis and Fichtner, 1999, p. 354). Until this mode of treatment, psychological models as applied to treatment for sexual offenses involving children had little success, according to the authors. The rapid development of such treatments over the last two decades has increased the effectiveness of this therapy.

At the basis of cognitive-behavioral therapies is an attempt to change the belief system of sex offenders, eliminating their inappropriate behavior around children, and increasing their appropriate behavior. Common techniques used to achieve this include aversion treatment, covert sensitization, imaginal desensitization, and masturbatory reconditioning (Grossman, Martis and Fichtner, 1999, p. 354). These are often coupled with cognitive restructuring, or the modification of the offender's distorted cognitions that relate to his or her sexual behavior.

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While many particularly in the professional community are beginning to view the benefits of the restorative model for sexual abusers of children in a positive light, authors such as Karen Kirsting (2005) acknowledge that they still face considerable challenges in implementing treatments. This is particularly so in societies who are fearful of reoffenses, and where offenders are viewed in an extremely negative light.

According to Kirsting, psychologists also face a challenging attitude from law enforcement authorities, many of whom favor the traditional retributive model for sexual offenses. She also notes that research is complicated by relatively low recidivism rates among untreated offenders. This makes it difficult to find a treatment that can be empirically proven as effective as opposed to non-treatment.

Despite this, the public perception of recidivism is that it is much more prevalent in sexual offenses against children than is actually the case. Furthermore, the public also perceives intervention strategies as highly ineffective. Therefore, the general belief is that offenders should be incarcerated as a means of removing them from society and from any possibility of reoffense. Kirsting however also notes that the research in favor of treatment is accumulating as new treatments and interventions are being developed. This provides some hope that alternatives to incarceration will not only be a viable research response in the future, but a public one as well......

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