Moral Repair With Offenders

Abstract

In this article, the authors examine the relevance of the concept of moral repair for sex offenders who have been victims of sexual or physical abuse. First, they briefly review the literature on victimization rates and effects in sexual offenders. Second, the notion of moral repair and its constituent tasks is examined with particular emphasis given to Margaret Walker's recent analysis of the concept. Third, the concept of moral repair is applied to offenders and its implications and possible constraints discussed. Fourth, the authors outline a normative framework for addressing victimization issues with sexual offenders, drawing on the resources of human rights theory and strength-based treatment approaches. Finally, they conclude with a brief consideration of the ethical and clinical implications of their normative model.

Addressing harm in moral case deliberation: the views and experiences of facilitators

“…Finally, formulating harm in MCD can help to repair harm. We encounter the notion of 'moral repair' in various contexts: in literature on combat trauma [71], on sexual abuse [72] and on moral distress among nurses [73]. This latter article states that 'counterstories' are important in repairing the moral identities of nurses.…”

Childhood Experiences of Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse

“…Intimacy deficits, such as those reported by our participants, along with poor emotion regulation and resentment, were previously shown to lead to sexual offending (Ward, Vess, Collie, & Gannon, 2006). Ward and Moreton (2008) described a “derailing” process, wherein the abuse suffered by sex offenders in their childhood kept them from acquiring the skills and values to live a happy, effective life.…”

Treating Cognitive Distortions with EMDR: A Case Study of a Sex Offender

“…Affectionless parenting seems to result in impaired attachment abilities within the child. Such an attachment style often leads to poor peer and later adult relationships, impaired emotional and behavioral regulation, and distorted beliefs concerning other people, themselves, relationships, and sex (Ward & Moreton, 2008). Lisak (1994) in his study with male survivors commented that this produces a profound and often lifelong isolation and separation from others.…”

“…Their distorted views appear to detach them from early experiences of abuse. Ward and Moreton (2008) suggest that an early goal of therapy should be to help offenders reach an understanding of how childhood experiences have affected their emotional and psychological development and to explore how these experiences influence their current behavior and functioning. However, Ricci and colleagues (2006) point out that some offenders have effectively numbed their feelings associated with traumatic memories.…”

“…Studies have indicated that 15% to 70% of adult sex offenders report histories of past sexual abuse (Ward & Moreton, 2008). Many of these victims learn to use abusive behavior as a coping mechanism (Graham, 1996).…”