Applying desistance principles to improve wellbeing and prevent child sexual abuse among minor-attracted persons

Abstract

The prevention of sexual abuse among people with sexual attractions to minors is a field of study that is growing in both size and importance. While there is an increasing amount of research into this topic, particularly in relation to the stigmatisation of minor-attracted persons (MAPs) and the barriers to them seeking help, there is currently no theoretical framework within which to consider this prevention landscape. In this paper, we suggest that an extension of Göbbels, Ward, and Willis' (2012) integrative theory of desistance from sexual offending could fill this gap in the literature. We explore what the aims of 'prevention' initiatives could, or perhaps should, be, before exploring how an extension and adaptation of the desistance framework could provide a framework for working with MAPs in their journey for sound mental health and, ultimately, the prevention of sexual offending.

“We Do Exist”: The Experiences of Women Living with a Sexual Interest in Minors

“…Future work might look to explore the intersections of gender diversity and sexual minority status within this population. This would also continue to move the area away from having a forensic focus and more toward exploring the experiences of living with sexual attractions to children in a more holistic sense (Elchuk et al, 2021;Jahnke et al, 2015b;Lievesley & Harper, 2021;Lievesley et al, 2020).…”

“…The effects of stigma appear to include depression, anxiety, and substance misuse conditions (e.g., Cohen et al, 2018;Elchuk et al, 2021;Raymond et al, 1999;Schaefer et al, 2010), social isolation (Elchuk et al, 2021;Jahnke et al, 2015b), and the internalization of stigma and self-loathing (Lievesley et al, 2020;McPhail & Stephens, 2020;Stevens & Wood, 2019). As an acknowledgment that these factors are known to increase the likelihood that an individual may sexually offend, some researchers have begun to discuss how MAP-directed support services should first aim to address mental health issues, with sexual offense prevention being a by-product of effective service provision (for a discussion, see Lievesley & Harper, 2021).…”

“…This is likely due to the feared consequences of disclosure in that those she told would consequently “hate” her, which she attributes to a lack of understanding around minor attraction. With even anonymous disclosure being considered difficult, Participant 3’s narrative highlights the pervasive nature of societal stigma about sexual attractions to children (Jahnke et al, 2015a ; Harper et al, 2018 ; 2021 ), in that MAPs are often reluctant to disclose these attractions even when they cannot be identified (Jahnke et al, 2015b ). Similarly, a fear of hate and abandonment is what prevents Participant 1 from disclosing.…”

“…Reports of negative experiences within the MAP community lead to an inherent mistrust of professionals, which in turn results in a reluctance to seek support if or when it is needed (Dymond & Duff, 2020 ; Grady et al, 2018 ). This means that there is a need to develop mechanisms by which MAPs can feel comfortable to seek help or disclose their sexual attractions in a safe way and without judgment or persecution (Goodier & Lievesley, 2018 ; Grady et al, 2018 ; Levenson et al, 2017 ; Lievesley & Harper, 2021 ). We believe that the successful design of such mechanisms is contingent on having input from MAPs themselves, as understanding their experiences and needs should produce more responsive and effective therapeutic practices.…”

Humanizing Pedophilia as Stigma Reduction: A Large-Scale Intervention Study

“…Many researchers have begun to explore sexual interests in children via sexual abuse prevention and well-being perspectives (see Elchuk et al, 2021 ; Lievesley & Harper, 2021 ; Lievesley et al, 2020 ; Seto, 2018 ). However, there is an acknowledgement within the literature that the effective treatment of individuals with such sexual interests is contingent on the availability of suitable services, the willingness of professionals to work with this client group, and the client group feeling comfortable in seeking support that is made available (Grady et al, 2019 ; Jahnke, 2018a , 2018b ; Levenson & Grady, 2019 ; Lievesley & Harper, 2021 ). As such, finding methods of effective stigma reduction is becoming an important topic of study in relation to this client group (Harper et al, 2018 ; Jahnke, 2018a , 2018b ).…”