Rape Treatment: An Overview of Current Knowledge

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Thakker ◽  
Theresa A. Gannon

AbstractSexual offending is frequently seen by the lay person as being a result of an innate abnormality that is relatively fixed and unchangeable. Accordingly, sexual offenders are seen as more likely to recidivate than other types of offenders. In fact, this is not the case, and most sexual offenders do not re-offend. Also, contemporary research has shown that treatment programs driven by cognitive behaviour therapy significantly reduce rates of sexual offender recidivism. Nevertheless, while there has been a great deal of research on the treatment of child sexual offenders, the treatment of rapists has received comparatively less attention. Thus, the main aim of this article is to summarise current knowledge of sexual offender treatment, paying specific attention to the needs of rapists. In particular, we pay attention to the content of sexual offender treatment programs, and the relevance of this content to rape. We also discuss therapeutic issues of relevance for rapist treatment that are typically ignored or underestimated in the research literature. Finally, based upon our analysis of the literature, we present a schematic overview of rape treatment and identify important areas for further research.

Author(s):  
John M. W. Bradford ◽  
Giovana V. de Amorim Levin ◽  
Adekunle G. Ahmed ◽  
Sanjiv Gulati

There are many misconceptions about sexual-offender treatment, which are particularly magnified when it comes to understanding and managing the risk of sexual offending in the community. Many of the misconceptions are based on faulty information about the types of treatment, treatment outcomes, and sexual-offence recidivism. Additionally, public misconception of sexual-offending behaviour in sexually deviant individuals creates stigma and fear. This is despite the large number of studies on sexual-offender treatment, recidivism, and treatment outcome available in the scientific literature. In fact, various actuarial risk-assessment instruments can be used to estimate the probability that a sexual offender will recidivate. Risk can be managed through treatment. The aim of this chapter is to review the evidence-based studies on the efficacy of sexual-offender treatment, as well as how the risk management of sexual offenders is currently implemented in sexual-offender treatment programmes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Lord ◽  
Derek Perkins

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase our understanding of the role of mental disorder in sexual offending as well as identifying innovations in assessment and treatment with offenders who present with these typically complex risks and needs. Design/methodology/approach – The converging literatures on “good lives” and other developments in sexual offender treatment are compared with recovery from mental disorder and what is known about the particular needs and characteristics of sexual offenders with mental illness and severe personality disorder (PD). Findings – A key outcome of this review is that many mentally disordered sexual offenders have similar needs to those in prison and the community but there are particular challenges posed by severe PD, paraphilias and the relatively rare individuals whose offending is functionally linked to psychotic symptoms. Practical implications – Practical implications include the need for case formulation of complex needs related to mental disorder using direct and indirect measures of attitudes and interests. Treatment needs to be responsive to very different personality and mental health presentations as well as problems with offending and cognitive schemas. Direct functional links between mental health symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations are very rare in practice and are usually secondary to PD and sexual offending issues. In practice, treatment promoting recovery from mental disorder is highly compatible with the “good lives” approach to sexual offender treatment. Staff development, supervision and support are particularly important for staff treating mentally disordered sexual offenders. Originality/value – It is argued that mentally disordered sexual offenders are an under-researched sub-group within the wider sexual offender population. This paper brings together the relatively limited literature on treatment with examples of recent treatment innovations, multi-modal assessment approaches and reviews of research on the needs of this relatively uncommon but highly risky group.


1993 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P. Lab ◽  
Glenn Shields ◽  
Connie Schondel

Although interest in the treatment of juvenile sexual offenders has increased significantly in recent years, there are still few programs specifically geared toward these youths and few of the existing programs have been evaluated. This article presents an evaluation of one court-based program. The results show that youths handled in the program fare no better than youths processed through normal, nonoffense specific programming. These results suggest that the growth of interventions has proceeded without adequate knowledge of how to identify at-risk youths, the causes of the behavior, and the most appropriate treatment for juvenile sexual offending.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay A. Sewall ◽  
Mark E. Olver

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine sexual offender treatment responses as a function of psychopathy subtype. Design/methodology/approach Measures of sexual violence risk, treatment change and outcome variables were coded retrospectively on a sample of 86 high Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) scoring sexual offenders. Psychopathy subtypes were identified through cluster analysis of PCL-R facet scores. Findings Two subtypes were identified labeled classic and aggressive. They were comparable in their level of risk and need and did not differ in rates of treatment completion or change. The aggressive subtype had higher rates of violent and general recidivism and higher frequencies of major mental disorder and cognitive disability. Results of Cox regression survival analysis demonstrated that treatment-related changes in risk were associated with reductions in violent recidivism for the aggressive, but not classic, psychopathy variant. Practical implications Psychopathy is a heterogeneous syndrome. Moreover, psychopathic offenders can demonstrate risk relevant treatment changes. PCL-R facet profiles have important responsivity implications. However, not all psychopathic offenders fare poorly in treatment. Originality/value This is one of very few studies to examine treatment response and links to outcome among psychopathic offenders, particularly as this relates to subtype.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Henshaw ◽  
Chelsea Arnold

Recent research suggests that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenders have distinct characteristics and intervention needs when compared to contact sexual offenders. As such, many sexual offender treatment programs may not be suitable for CSAM offenders without a history of contact offences. This paper describes the development of the CEM-COPE (Coping with Child Exploitation Material Use) Program. We discuss CSAM offender characteristics, recidivism rates and treatment considerations, before outlining the rationale, specifications and underpinnings of the CEM-COPE Program. Challenges in this research area and considerations for future research are also addressed.


Sexual Abuse ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Beech ◽  
Ann Scott Fordham

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