Explores the processes involved in treating sex offenders. Focuses on how therapists can feel traumatized by this patient population, the dynamism of transference, and tactics used by sex offender patients, such as seduction, imitation, intimidation, and invalidation. Describes ways for therapists to maintain objectivity and use transference…

Identifies critical roles associated with leadership of a therapy group for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. Roles include convening the group, creation of a group, modeling appropriate behavior, the professional use of self, focusing on the present, and using professional support. Provides case examples to illustrate each role. (RJM)

A relatively nonintrusive, group-based therapy system, involving coordination of multiple service agencies, was developed for sex offenders with intelligence quotients from 55 to 85. Fifteen adult males who underwent this treatment barely attained objectives on Goal Attainment Scaling, 6 recidified, and 2 were rearrested. (JDD)

Reviews efforts to prevent sexual abuse of children. Discusses the nature of sexual abuse and what an understanding of that nature implies for programs to prevent sexual abuse of children. Summarizes the research on sexual abuse prevention programs. Outlines major policy implications of this research. (JS)

This paper on the problem of sex offending among individuals with intellectual disabilities examines the incidence of this problem, characteristics of intellectually disabled sex offenders, determination of whether the behavior is a paraphilia or functional age-related behavior, and treatment options, with emphasis on the situation in New South…

Offers information on the sexual abuse of children and its prevention. Describes a study to validate an instrument to assess children's acquisition of knowledge about personal security and the prevention of sexual abuse as presented in the Child Abuse Research and Education (CARE) program in Montreal, Quebec. Confirms the validity of the program…

Social learning and social cognitive theories are applied to the group treatment of adolescent sexual offenders in the Juvenile Sexual Behavior Program of Barnert Hospital Mental Health Clinic (New Jersey). The program provides the necessary environment for learning and reinforcement of social prohibitions and control of behavior; cognitive aids;…

The article highlights the fact that children with disabilities are at higher risk for maltreatment. Factors are identified that contribute to maltreatment. An ecological perspective is considered as an approach to prevention of maltreatment that uses the medical home model and links it with ongoing monitoring and support for families. (Contains…

Describes ways young children disclose to their teachers that they have been sexually abused. Provides guidance for teachers on appropriate ways to respond in order to decrease children's trauma, including: remaining calm and reassuring, speaking on the child's level, not using words the child has not already used, and obtaining only the…

A Mohawk herbalist combines scientific and traditional indigenous knowledge to treat her patients. At her retreat she grows medicinal herbs and treats Native women who suffered physical and sexual abuse in Canada's residential schools. Women are the lifegivers and caregivers in Canada's Six Nations Confederacy; once they know how to heal…

The effects of trauma can roll on unchecked like a spirit of death. In its path are strewn its once vibrant victims. Human bonds are rent asunder by the disgrace of trauma. These are the youngsters who have been verbally bashed, physically battered, sexually assaulted, and spiritually exploited. Other traumas of childhood neglect include: (1)…

Counselors in all settings work with clients who are survivors of trauma. Vicarious trauma, or counselors developing trauma reactions secondary to exposure to clients' traumatic experiences, is not uncommon. The purpose of this article is to describe vicarious trauma and summarize the recent research literature related to this construct. The…

How did early childhood education become "risky" for children and teachers? This paper takes a series of booklets written in the 1990s as a case study of the entry of official anxiety about sexual abuse in early childhood centres in New Zealand. I argue that these documents provided a basis for policy development which reflects risk…

This paper examines one of the chief problems in the ongoing debate about the nature and prevalence of the various memory mechanisms that may operate in determining whether a victim/survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) will have delayed recall of the victimization. One of the key problems in the debate about delayed or suppressed memory of…

This report provides an analysis of recent findings on drug and alcohol use trends among girls. Data indicate that girls have caught up with boys in illicit drug and alcohol use and have actually surpassed boys in cigarette and prescription drug use. Also, more girls than boys are new users of substances. Marijuana is the illicit drug most widely…