Sex offenders have gained more attention over the more recent years in media, politics, and more sex crimes being reported. programs and treatments have been established in attempt to reduce the likelihood of a sex offender reoffending in the future. However, it is hard to compare how effective this treatment actually is. When compared to criminal offenders, it is hard to say whether or not sex offender treatment is effective due to a lack of stable research evidence that proves it is effective. This has brought up many debates on whether or not we need to stick with the same treatment, or come up with other ideas on how to lower the rate of reoffending.
A study from 2010 (Safer Society survey) stated that in 2008, every state in the U.S. offered treatment programs for sex offenders and provided these services to approximately 53,811 offenders. No evidence states whether or not the treatment worked or lowered the rate of offenses after going through the treatment programs. It almost seems harder to treat a sex offender than a criminal offender because the tools and structure of treating a sex offender vary; This is due to the behavior of the sex offender. In the criminal sense, these mechanisms are very similar because even though the criminals might have differing behaviors, all actions can be summed up into different programs and criminal offenders can be placed in one or the other depending on the crime committed.
The main forms of sexual offenses that are heard more often than most are rape and child molestation. However, there are many forms of sexual offenses that take place which make it hard to treat hence, the many mechanisms that go into effect to treat sex offenders. Some other examples of these offenses include but aren’t restricted to: sexual harassment, incest, bestiality, and online grooming.
Sexual offender laws also vary in countries outside of the United States which makes it harder to treat. For example, other countries have different ages of consent laws and these ages can vary anywhere from 9 years of age to 20. Many sexual assault cases will go unreported because the victim may be threatened, may know the attacker, etc. This makes it difficult for sexual offenders to receive treatment from these facilities unless the incident is reported by the victim or a witness, or the offenders themselves seek out help.
There are theories which can help to explain why people commit these sexual offenses though, not only one theory can explain why all sexual offenders make these decisions. After 1989 drug and alcohol programs became modified to treat sex offenders or people that were perceived to have problems controlling their sexual drive. These treatments were meant as behavioral modification treatments by therapists in an attempt to better understand the offender and find a way to help the person better themselves.
Before reading through articles, there was already a negative thought going through my mind (as with most people) about the efficiency of treatment. Because there is a debate on whether or not the treatment is effective, it is hard to tell without any bias research. Many people will assume that the treatment is ineffective due to the amount of victims and reports coming out about offenses. However, this is not necessarily the case; more and more victims are starting to come out with their stories with the help of the “Me Too” movement. As a society, we are progressing with inclusion which is a major step in helping sexual assault victims come out with their stories.
Due to the amount of victims coming out with their stories, many people will assume that the treatment for sexual offenders is ineffective because not many cases of sexual violence, harassment, or misconduct were known of before. We know that this isn’t the case due to studies that have shown that many offenses have gone unreported. The fact that more cases are being reported just means that more people are feeling comfortable reporting these cases than before. This doesn’t mean that sexual offender programs and treatments are ineffective, this means that more cases are being reported than before.
According to an article on Counseling Today, there are “specialties within the specialty”. Which essentially means that there are many factors when it comes to treatment for sexual offenders. It’s understood that sexual offenders have had sexual behavior problems which can lead to the decisions that they make. Dealing with sexual offenders is difficult because of many factors. Their past environment and how they were raised, childhood trauma, trauma as an adult, or just an abnormal sex drive.
One of the largest reasons that is studied on why people are sexual offenders is due to trauma that they have experienced as a child. Growing up molested as a child can leave a person to believing that it is a normal thing. Without proper care or help, a child can grow up their entire life believing that being assaulted or raped is a normal thing. It is important for services to not only be available for adults, but to be available for children as well going through post-traumatic stress.
These treatments for children help ensure that behavioral problems don’t appear later in their life. Again, it is hard to help all at risk youth and adults as not many cases of sexual assault are reported. It is difficult to help those without them wanting the help in the first place. It is also difficult to help at risk youth and adults because it is very dependent on risk factors. Personalized plans are created based off of behavioral problems, past trauma and experiences, etc.
Not only can PTSD cause harm for others, but can cause harm for the individual. Not all children and adults that go through something as traumatic will reciprocate that trauma onto others, but can also hurt themselves. After going through sexual abuse and assault, people can change entirely. There have been cases where people will inflict pain on themselves or attempt to commit suicide. This is why treatment needs to be readily available and people need to be given that safety and security to seek out help.
Just because an individual has not sexually assaulted someone does not mean that they shouldn’t seek out help. Those who believe that they are at a risk to sexually assault another individual can seek out help as well. The earlier the treatment is sought out, the better the outcome may be. Treatment is typically offered separately for males and females to make the environment feel like more of a safe place to discuss issues. Treatments for adults will often differ from treatments for juveniles again, to help ensure a safe space. This may make the individual feel safer to discuss personal matters and may increase the effectiveness of the treatment.
Some treatment programs may have a higher cost than others, some may accept insurance, and others may not. This might be a challenge for someone who doesn’t have insurance that will cover the cost or someone that cannot afford the treatment possibly due to the area they live in or the income they have. Expense can have an impact on whether or not an individual can go through treatment which might cause difficulties when it comes to effectiveness of the program.
All in all, I believe that it is difficult to state whether or not sex offender treatment is 100% effective however, I do believe that it is progressively changing and growing as a service. As we progress as a community, we have more and more resources to help those who have sexually abused others or believe that they are at risk of doing so. Treatment can last anywhere from a few months to a lifetime for some. People can go through extensive help and relapse, others can change for the better and may not need treatment anymore. It is difficult to say for sure whether or not treatment is effective because it effects people differently however, it can be said that the treatment can ultimately lower the risk of future sexual assault and abuse.
