This article chronicles the development of the field of Sexual Offender Treatment in the United States since the 1980's. It offers an analysis of the Relapse Prevention model, a case study, and a summary description of contemporary field advancements. Through historical and personal reflection, the author summarizes lessons learned as five…

When the sexual abuse of children is revealed, it is often found that other nonabusing adults were aware of the abuse but failed to act. During the past twenty years or so, the concealment of child sexual abuse (CSA) within organizations has emerged as a key challenge for child protection work. Recent events at Pennsylvania State University (PSU)…

Child sexual abuse as well as accidental trauma may cause acute injuries in the anogenital area. Most data on residual findings following genital trauma come from longitudinal studies of children who have been sexually assaulted, undergone surgical procedures, or experienced accidental trauma. Like injuries in other part parts of the body, such…

R.U. Ready? at Georgetown University is an annual sexual assault awareness event that incorporates peer education and resources with opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to dialogue about providing bystander intervention throughout the campus community. Beyond dialogue, participants learn about student activism and the resources and…

While only a minority of children who have been abused or neglected engage in delinquent behavior, they are at a significantly higher risk. When youth do become involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, they present unique needs that require collaboration between the numerous systems and people involved in their lives. The…

Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is touted as the predominant approach in sex offender-specific group treatment, a review of the field shows that the "behavioral" part of CBT has become minimal in relation to that which is cognitive. The authors show how a revitalized "behavioral sensibility" may help to enhance…

How does a religious group create a safe and welcoming environment for people affected by sexual assault? This article seeks to establish a set of guidelines for religious organizations, especially those following in the Roman Catholic tradition, as they design worship services. Ten distinct areas of liturgical planning are considered with…

American higher education is facing several significant challenges: rapidly rising tuitions, a lack of support from politicians and the public in general, a demand for higher graduation rates, and the lack of a clear articulation of mission. Coping with these issues and many others is a formidable task. No matter what possible solutions and…

Jeanine M. Staples is an associate professor in the Language, Culture, and Society Program of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania. She teaches a mandatory course entitled LLED 480: Media Literacy in the Classroom. The course is designed for pre-service teachers in the…

In this article we reflect on developments in our thinking and practice concerning youth sexual offending. We put the case that context is critical to understanding and responding to the problem, and accordingly that a social ecological model provides the most suitable conceptual and practice framework for clinical efforts with this population. We…

The shadowy, criminal nature of human trafficking makes evaluating its nature and scope difficult. The U.S. State Department and anti-trafficking groups estimate that worldwide some 27 million people are caught in a form of forced servitude today. Public awareness of modern-day slavery is gaining momentum thanks to new abolitionist efforts. Among…

In this article, the author discusses how college administrators are increasingly prioritizing dating violence prevention and intervention services. To combat dating violence, campus groups and programming are becoming more prevalent as increased awareness of dating violence forces students and administrators alike to address a problem that…

The reluctance of parents to provide sex education has been a problem for educators since the first attempts at the modernisation of sex education in the early twentieth century, yet the sexual needs, desires and fears of parents are rarely even mentioned in pedagogical debates. This article examines the intense anxiety and embarrassment felt by…

The key event around which this paper is built is the 2010 absolute discharge granted to Eric Tillman, a former (and current) Canadian Football League executive, who pleaded guilty to a sexual assault charge involving a teenage girl in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (Pruden, 2010). Drawing on critical race theory as applied to pedagogical spaces…

Adolescent Black/African descent and Latina girls in urban environments are at heightened risk for the negative consequences of sexual risk. Intervention programming that accounts for the intersection of adolescent girls' racial/ethnic cultural experiences and gender are likely to be most effective in minimizing their vulnerability for sexual…