NCJ Number
137338
Date Published
1991
Length
240 pages
Annotation
This book contains simple, therapeutic activities to engage young sexual abusers between 4 and 12 years of age in their own treatment.
Abstract
Young sexual abusers are not out to explore the wonders of the human body. They are not old enough to engage in legally consensual sexual relations, yet their sexual behavior can involve coercion, force, intimidation, and secrecy. Their victims, whose participation is usually obtained through threats or trickery, are younger, smaller, weaker, or in some way disadvantaged in relation to themselves. One of the potential contributing factors in the development of a child who molests other children involves some form of maltreatment or traumatic influence during the child's early years. The degree of child and family resistance to long-term therapy argues for court-mandated participation in treatment. Therapeutic activities to involve young sexual offenders in their own treatment are organized in two parts. The first part looks at planning interventions, including intake and assessment, group behavioral management, and working with parents' groups. The second part focuses on teaching skills and competencies related to building self-esteem, managing anger, teaching problem-solving skills, treating victimization and perpetration, building empathy skills, and countering sex role stereotyping. Other parts of the book discuss children's sexual development and the evaluation of children's treatment progress. References, illustrations, and forms