PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The primary goal of this sex abuser treatment program is to protect the general public from further sex crimes. Achieving this goal is accomplished by working with abusers to stop re-offenses from occurring. As such this group is a form of secondary prevention.

The purpose of the sex abuser treatment group is to:

1) help members take full responsibility for all of their sex offenses and establish an appropriate amount of victim empathy;

2) to identify and disrupt offense chains;

3) to identify distorted thinking and salient risk factors that occur throughout the chain;

4) to recognize and correct these thoughts and behaviors as they occur;

5) to establish a relapse prevention/community safety plan

These goals are accomplished by having those referred to the program complete a variety of tasks. The program is essentially presented in three parts. First, those referred undergo a psychological evaluation including a psychophysiologic measure of sexual interests and an extensive questionnaire. After this, group therapy is initiated and other service referrals are made as needed. Once the person completes therapy requirements, he may become eligible for placement in a risk level monitoring program.

These goals are more easily accomplished when the abuser invests himself into the treatment program. This group will always attempt to identify the benefits of living a lifestyle devoid of sexual deviancy while highlighting reasons to avoid recidivating. Members will constantly be encouraged to own the therapy process as their own as well as move to establish a healthy overall lifestyle. It is hoped that by learning how to control sexual urges, how to appropriately interact with others, how to seek additional help with life problems when needed, and how to establish a wealth of positive coping skills, members will be better able to manage their deviant urges. Members will be challenged to acknowledge the fact that they made the choice to offend. They will also be challenged to accept the fact that they can make the choice not to re-offend, even in light of strong sexually deviant urges.

Members’ attempts to minimize their offenses are common, and they are essential for therapeutic growth. People are often surprised by just how deeply ingrained this, and other defenses can be. This therapy program aims to encourage those in attendance to challenge these types of cognitive distortions and in doing so, provides them with the tools that will be required to prevent future offenses. It is ultimately up to the abuser to make the right choices.

Abusers will be taught how to recognize the association between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Abusers will learn how thoughts and fantasies can provide dangerous roads to deviant behavior. They will learn to anticipate the consequences of unhealthy thoughts and dispute them aggressively and persistently. They will learn how to manage unexpected sexual thoughts and urges. Abusers will learn how their environment can place them at risk, even though they have learned to correct their thinking distortions. Finally, behavioral measures may also be employed to limit sexual offending. In severe cases, a referral may be made to a medical doctor of adjunctive pharmacotherapy. Common pharmacological agents employed with sex abusers include antidepressants that have sexual side effects, agents that limit anger responses, and in rare cases, medroxyprogesterone acetate is administered to limit libido.

This program conforms to the ATSA code of ethics, and it is voluntary. There are other sex abuser treatment modalities in the area available. Abusers are free to choose their own treatment.

In this program, abusers will be expected to attend group each week for at least six months to successfully complete program requirements. Following this, recommendations will be made to probation and parole officers based on an abuser’s participation in the group and his level of risk. If there is a substantial amount of risk, if the abuser was noncompliant with treatment, or if the abuser is unable to demonstrate knowledge of program content on outcome measures, then probation and parole officers will be encouraged to require further counseling sessions for the abuser. If an abuser fails to take personal responsibility for his offense, fails to complete the assigned homework, fails to develop a personal relapse prevention plan, or if the abuser is determined to be a substantially high risk to the community at large, then further and more intensive treatment will be recommended. In less severe cases, monitoring sessions will be offered. Individual sessions may be recommended as an adjunct to group monitoring sessions. In cases where other psychopathology is diagnosed, appropriate referrals will be made for either additional psychotherapy, or pharmacotherapy as indicated.

The treatment program is broken into discreet modules. Each module must be completed by all group members before the next module is attempted. Some modules may take longer than others depending upon the participation levels of group members. Members will participate in various sex crime modules (offense cycle, victim empathy, cognitive distortions, risk management, relapse prevention, etc.) anger management/assertiveness modules, sex education modules, and managing depression and anxiety modules. An emphasis on sex offenses will be strictly maintained.

Probation and parole officers will be provided with progress reports on a regular basis. If an abuser has more than one unexcused absence in treatment, or if an abuser is non-compliant with treatment, his or her probation/parole officer will be notified immediately. Non-compliant individuals will not be readmitted to group unless they have been sanctioned in some way, or if Dr. Williams and agents of the court agree that it would be worthwhile to readmit the abuser. Non-compliant behavior includes but is not limited to: inattention during group, tardiness to group, physical violence or abusive verbal behavior in group, alcohol or drug use within 24 hours of group meetings, more than one unexcused absence to group in a 12 month period, any re-offense (sexual or otherwise), or non-payment of fees.

Staff of this sex abuser treatment program are also available to consult with probation and parole officers in conducting therapeutic home visits, thorough sex abuser risk assessments, mental health assessments, substance abuse assessments, and dangerousness assessments as needed or requested. We are also available for consultation regarding probation/parole requirements.