Dr Kieran McCartan University of the West of England & Robina Visiting Scholar (Spring 2013)

1. Dr Kieran McCartan University of the West of England & Robina Visiting Scholar (Spring 2013)

2. Overview • The societal context of Child Sexual Abuse and Paedophilia. • A range of perspectives on attitudes to Child Sexual Abuse and Paedophilia. • The taking a renewed approach to Child Sexual Abuse and Paedophilia. • What Professional engagement can do to help community engagement .

3. Social construction and sex crime • Given that • both offenders and victims are members of society, • that sexual offences and the responses are social constructions, • this means that the constructions and Conversations that are created around sexual violence are very important.

4. Media discourses and paedophilia/Child Sexual Abuse • The media has contributed to the steady increase in the visibility of child sexual abuse in society. • Although the media has discussed paedophilia morethe Conversation they have and language they use is problematic: • paedophiles are generally described in a one dimensional, homogenous way; • describing paedophiles as evil, beyond rehabilitation & Advocating punishment; • Paedophiles and CSA are often discussed as being the same; • Media representations contribute to an unrealistic and inappropriate social construction.

5. Professional discourses and Child Sexual Abuse and Paedophilia • Professionals tend to have no cohesive ‘voice’ • different definitions of paedophilia and CSA; • clinical classifications are of paedophilia not CSA; • legal definitions focus on the offence of CSA and not the offender; • policy maker definitions and understandings focus around public protection and risk management; • academic definitions are broader and more aligned to the policy maker approach, but this is varied depending on discipline and author.

6. Public discourses and Child Sexual Abuse and Paedophilia • Research with the public, in general, indicates that the public... • concerned about CSA and Paedophilia; • understandings of sex offenders are mixed at best; • paedophiles are evil, dangerous and a constant threat; • treatment does not work and that a punitive response is best; • recognise that the paedophile who sexually offends has friends/family/peers which the public has conflicted feelings about; • recognise that convicted offenders will be returned to communities; • should be involved in sex offender management through partnership; • The public do not trust the state to take care of sex offenders appropriately.

7. However..... • There are Multiple “Publics” • their understandings and reactions to paedophilia/CSA are different; • some publics who are interested in, invested in understanding sexual offending • these engaged publics read the available literature, engage with the relevant media and get involved with the associated charities and NGO. • Meaning that any discussion of paedophilia/CSA depends upon the public that you are engaging with.

8. How to change public perceptions? • Public criminology (?) (Loader & Sparks, 2010) • Improving public understanding: • Increase public education • Improve research with the public • Increase dialogue between professionals and the public (Green, 2006)

9. Do we need to change current discourses? • In the main most discourses surrounding sexual violence tend to be located in the victim-offender paradigm discussing the personal impact that the offence has. • This gives the impression of isolated instances of sexual violence rather than a more systematic, embedded culture present in society. • By stating that the victim and the offender are somehow unique it means that some sections of the public can disengage form the conversation. • What can be done to educate and reformulate societal understandings of Paedophilia/CSA across a range of publics?

10. Public health, prevention and engagement • Public Health is the means of improving the health of individuals, communities and society through a variety of means, focusing on; • Change people’s attitudes and beliefs towards an issue; • Increase physical and interpersonal skills; • Influence social norms; • Change structural factors; and • Influence the availability of and access to services.

11. Primary (prevention) • By allowing parents, children and 3rd parties to recognise the signs of abuse • That systems already exist to address these concerns through improved formal/informal education. • Stop it now! • http://www.stopitnow.org.uk/60_secon_video.htm

12. Secondary (responding to warnings) • That paedophiles and/or (potential) child sexual offenders know that they can receive help to change their deviant cognitions and prevent their offending. • Dunkelfeld • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSvrDjOh2dc&feature=youtu.be&rel=0 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuJ4erZq90I&rel=0

13. Tertiary (reintegration/releapse prevention) • through broader in engagement with child sexual abuse reintegration; • by demonstrating what is done with child sexual offenders post release by the state, charities and the public. • MnCOSA • ATSA • State & criminal justice responses

14. Public health, prevention and engagement • Public health campaigns, and therefore by default prevention messages, only gets through when the public thinks that it relates directly to them. • Most CSA campaigns/messages focus on the negative impact of the abuse on one individual in a given situation by an individual offender. • People may disengage from the message because; • they may struggle to engage with the story being told; • they are oversaturated with similar stories; or • they feel powerless/unwilling to help. • If the message was more about process, structure and function then this might change the outcome, like with other crime related public health campaigns • Reduction of A&E admittance in Cardiff city centre

15. Public health & Child Sexual Abuse/Paedophilia? • Sexual violence public health discourses in the main are primary prevention based focusing on education, engagement and awareness raising. • However, this message does not always get effectively conveyed by the state and/or professionals to the public, especially in terms of what happens at secondary and tertiary levels, and when it does the public do not always process it appropriately.

16. Public health & Paedophilia/CSA • The causes of paedophilia are individual in nature. • Not all paedophiles offend and those that do offend (CSA) do not do so in the same way. • Although, the majority of CSA/Paedophiles can receive treatment for their deviant sexuality not all will succeed in treatment, but the majority will return to society at some point. • Consequentially as members of the public here is some advice • towards child protection and risk management (primary); • that you can give individuals that you think maybe in this situation (secondary); and • about what the state, and other organisations, does CSA/Paedophiles so that you can have a better understanding of how these populations are managed (tertiary).

17. Conclusion • Societal understandings and discourses are fragmented. • This fragmentation means that a realistic, coherent message is difficult to get across – however, we know this is the type of message that works between. • Public understanding and engagement on issues relating to Paedophilia/Child Sexual Abuse is important. • We need more coherent, informed societal debated and education • Apublic health approach. • But need media, policy, professional “buy in” and consistency.

18. Questions