A New Zealand pilot programme has resulted in a large reduction in participants’ risk factors for engaging in harmful sexual behaviour. Photo / NZME
WARNING: This story discusses child sexual abuse
Between 3% and 5% of adult men are attracted to children, research shows.
Some are in relationships with other adults, who support them in seeking help.
Others are alone, navigating their disturbing attraction to kids in solitude.
In a promising development, a New Zealand pilot programme aiming to prevent people from acting on these urges has resulted in a large reduction in participants’ risk factors for engaging in harmful sexual behaviour.
Stand Strong Walk Tall (SSWT) was created to reduce the prevalence and harm caused by child sexual abuse in Aotearoa by reaching potential offenders before they hurt children.
More than one-quarter of Kiwi women and one in five of the country’s men are estimated to experience sexual violence before age 18, research published in The Lancet found.
The abuse can have significant, far-reaching impacts on survivors, including a higher likelihood of developing depressive disorders than those who have not been victims.
Chronic pain, anxiety and eating disorders have also been associated with the abuse.
Principal SSWT investigator Dr Sarah Christofferson said while treatment for the attraction had traditionally focused on preventing reoffending, 80% of people convicted of the abuse did not have prior sex convictions.
“Research shows around 3-5% of adult males experience sexual attraction towards children, this is over 80,000 New Zealanders,” the University of Canterbury associate professor said.
The eight- to 12-week pilot involved one-on-one therapy sessions and a series of modules that participants worked through.
Christofferson said there was a focus on building people’s confidence in controlling their own behavioural choices.
“For some people, they really have been struggling, they’ve been troubled by these experiences. They’re very isolated.”
Despite some fearing adult intimacy, for many, their sexual feelings towards minors were not exclusive, and they were also attracted to adults.
Christofferson said some participants had very supportive partners who knew about their struggles, while others had not disclosed their attraction to people close to them.
The patients she engaged with during the study were a mix of people in relationships and those who were single.
Seventeen out of the 20 registered participants identified as cisgender males, the three remaining identified as cisgender female, transgender female or non-binary.
Sexual abuse advocate Gloria Masters, who founded the charity Handing the Shame Back, said if initial findings were any indication, this type of programme would be an effective way for those inclined to abuse children to minimise the desire to do so.
“If data collected over time suggests this is successful I would support this as being available to ‘potential offenders’.”
She said the impacts of childhood sexual abuse were multilayered and complex.
“As this silent epidemic [of abuse] impacts such a big percentage of people, the message really is you are not alone and that there is always hope. I want survivors to know they are seen, heard and believed.”
Overall, Christofferson said the participants found the study helpful and expressed gratitude for the support.
One person said: “I was so scared for a long time but [this has] shown me that what I’m living with is survivable and doesn’t have to define me.”
Christofferson said participants particularly valued learning prevention strategies to support them making “good choices”.
Some said they were glad there was even a service available to help.
“In some cases, it had been something they had searched for previously, waited for a long time.”
Those involved in the programme had not committed in-person sexual offending and were treated voluntarily.
One of the participants had a conviction related to possessing child exploitation material. Nine people reported being currently at some stage of a justice system process in relation to that type of offending, for example, knowing an active investigation was likely going to lead to charges.
The maximum penalty for possessing abusive material is 10 years’ imprisonment.
Seventy per cent of participants reported engaging in one form of harmful sexual behaviour at least one time in their adult life, with child exploitation material the most common behaviour cited.
The programme resulted in participants having a large reduction in risk factors for harmful sexual behaviour and also increased the protective factors against such behaviour.
Their fears surrounding adult intimacy were also reduced.
In addition, they had greater levels of self-acceptance and improved general wellbeing.
When researchers started the project, Christofferson said they weren’t sure whether people would be willing to take part, given the stigma.
“But, with very limited effort to publicise the pilot, the self-referrals did come in. We did also find that many people got in touch on behalf of family members or loved ones. Either on others’ behalf, or seeking help for themselves from the perspective that there is someone in their life seeking help.”
Following the successful pilot, Christofferson hopes to continue the research and expand the reach of effective prevention for child abuse.
She said researchers would like the public to view child sexual abuse and its prevention in the same way they did - as a vital concern that was preventable.
“We need to view it as a public health issue, and that means evidence-based prevention. It is a difficult topic for many, understandably. So I think in taking our stance against the sexual abuse of children, we do need to be careful not to stigmatise help-seeking.”
She said those who came forward shared the goal of prevention.
“They haven’t chosen their attractions and in many cases, they’re highly burdened by them. It can be a very isolative experience.
“We put ourselves in their shoes, or imagine our loved ones in their shoes. Recognising that stigma is a barrier and increases risk. Support [and] non-judgment, bring those barriers down.”
The group to ultimately benefit from further research, the report noted, was society as a whole.
Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined theHeraldin 2020.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.