Current issues in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders

The present paper reviews what is currently known about sexual abuse and th e treatment of the offenders. Sexual offending is primarily committed by ma les and as many as 50% of females and 33% of males are sexually victimized in some way during their life. While some of these acts involve minimally i ntrusive behaviours (e.g. exhibitionists), many involve forced vaginal or a nal intercourse and varying degrees of associated physical violence and del iberate humiliation of the victim. The effects on the victim can be severe and long-lasting. Current theories of the aetiology of these behaviours inc orporate biological and developmental factors occurring within a socio-cult ural context that fails to discourage sexual abuse. Experience is said to c reate a vulnerability that in some men finds expression in sexually abusive behaviour. Appropriate assessment targets the issues that are addressed in treatment, including: cognitive distortions, sexual behaviours and attitud es, social functioning and substance abuse. In addition, treatment also att empts to generate a set of relapse prevention plans for each offender. Whil e some reports have not found benefits for treatment, the majority of accep table studies have demonstrated clear reductions in re-offending among trea ted sexual offenders. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.