An ounce of prevention : the life stories and perceptions of men who sexually offended against children
The purpose of this study is to modify primary prevention models in child sexual abuse by incorporating the perceptions of men who sexually offended against children. The family of origin was a key point of discussion throughout the interviews. Experiences of neglect and abuse were shared by many of the participants and were described as greatly inhibiting future abilities to accept fully others' rights and one's own responsibilities when placed in a care-giving role. Many of the participants emphasized that as children they had their experiences denied and invalidated and how this silence put them at risk of justifying and minimizing their own abusive behaviour as adults. The effects of having one's pain denied was often not actively felt until the onset of adolescence and early adulthood, when dating relationships and friendships became more significant than relationships in the family of origin. Workshop participants highlighted two primary prevention action plans: (1) for parents to raise their children to reach their emotional, cognitive, physical, social and spiritual potential, they need to be aware of and able to access community support which fosters their own growth in these areas; and (2) communities have a responsibility to model a child friendly environment which actively recognizes children's rights for a life characterized by nurturing and age appropriate expectations. Lastly, workshop participants expressed that healthy sexuality, in the holistic sense of the term, can only become a reality in communities which are willing to discuss sexual expression. Definitions of sexuality in terms of the prohibition of sexual transgression, such as the incest taboo, are negative in focus and inadequate when it comes to setting a sound social and moral climate
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 1994
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, 1994