Online sex offending: approaches to assessment and intervention [introduction to the special issue]

Sexual offending against children has been an issue of major public and scientific concern over the last 50 years, and strategies and methods for managing risk and treating such offenders have gradually been developed and utilised across the world . Whilst there has been a marked and consistent decline in child sexual abuse over the last 20 years, the production and online accessing of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) – in visual and written form – has dramatically increased in parallel with the growth and accessibility of the Internet (e.g. Kloess, Beech, & Harkins, 2014). Further worrying developments include children being abused live online and the online grooming of children for contact sexual abuse

“So what about the stories?” An exploratory study of the definition, use, and function of narrative child sexual exploitation material (N-CSEM)

The legal and psychological research surrounding online Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) is focused on visual depictions of children, either as still images or movies. Narrative CSEM (N-CSEM) describes an under-researched area, resulting from difficulties surrounding its conceptualisation, both legally as well as concerning the function for its users. The current study describes an initial attempt in defining N-CSEM in comparison to visual material, based on interviews with users of CSEM and N-CSEM and professionals working with this user group. Thematic Analysis resulted in three super-ordinate themes. All themes were analysed and enriched from the perspectives of user- and service-representatives. The study provides insight into N-CSEM as a separate entity from visual CSEM, challenging and informing legal decision-making and assessment and treatment providers for users of CSEM

Gateway to offending behaviour: permission-giving thoughts of online users of child sexual exploitation material.

The endorsement of permission-giving thoughts, or so-called cognitive distortions, has been discussed as a contributing factor in sexually abusive behaviour. The current study set out to explore the thinking patterns of offenders who have used/downloaded child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), based on a survey of professionals. A thematic analysis elicited four overarching themes, namely the Perceived Nature of Children (perception of children portrayed in CSEM, as well as children in general), Non-sexual Engagement with CSEM (motivating factors that are not inherently sexual in nature), Denial of Harm (perception of the level of harm caused by CSEM), and Expression of a General Sexual Preference (general interest in deviant sexual behaviour). These themes aid to explore the differences and similarities between contact and non-contact offenders and to improve the understanding of the role of permission-giving thoughts in this offending. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical significance and future implications

The endorsement of cognitive distortions: comparing child pornography offenders and contact sex offenders

This study examined the endorsement of cognitive distortions in child pornography offenders (CPOs), using an established assessment tool, the Abel and Becker Cognition Scale. The scale was expanded to include cognitions specific to child pornography offending, extracted from Howitt and Sheldon’s Children and Sexual Activities Inventory (C&SA). Three samples of CPOs, child sex offenders and offenders with both offence types responded to the cognition items. An exploratory Principal Component Analysis suggested six main components of the scale. CPOs were significantly less likely to endorse these statements in general, and this was more pronounced on items that project blame onto the child or other people, describe a need for power and consider children as sexually active. The statements extracted from C&SA did not differentiate between the groups. These findings are discussed under consideration of the relationship between cognitive distortions and contact sex offending, and in reference to the general criticism concerning the definition and appropriate measurement of cognitive distortion

Development of a case formulation model for individuals who have viewed, distributed, and/or shared child sexual exploitation material

Increases in the number of arrests of individuals who download or distribute Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) have highlighted a need to further understand the offending pathways of this offender group. This article describes the development of an aetiological model specific to CSEM offending. Individuals who had viewed, distributed and/or shared CSEM (n = 20) were interviewed regarding their life and sexual history, relationships, substance use, offending details, and circumstances leading to their CSEM offending, resulting in seven superordinate themes: Developmental Context, Individual Propensities (risk-related and risk-protective) and Psychological Vulnerabilities, Personal Circumstances, Permission-Giving Thoughts, Internet Environment and Behaviour, Evaluation of Consequences for the Individual, and Desistance. These themes were combined into a case formulation tool specific for CSEM offending behaviour, with the aim of providing systematic guidance for assessment and treatment providers

E-professionalism: usage of social network sites by psychological professionals in training

E-professionalism: usage of social network Sites by psychological professionals in trainin

Secondary prevention of the use of online child sexual exploitation material : an initial overview of international efforts

Abstract: Prevention of the consumption of online child sexual exploitation material presents society with a host of new challenges and is a priority of the European Union (EU). Alongside the identification and prosecution of individuals who use child sexual exploitation material, there is a strong desire to prevent these offences before they occur. Due to the reports of exponential rises in detected child sexual exploitation material offending behaviour, an enhanced focus has been on secondary prevention efforts. Based on prevention and intervention models, this article briefly reviews some of the secondary prevention deterrence and psychosocial intervention efforts in Europe, with the aim to inform and support professionals in research, politics and service provision in German-speaking countries who wish to develop such approaches. The article initially discusses the European Commission's current classification criteria to better understand and classify child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention programs. Approaches to preventative deterrence by law enforcement agencies are addressed, alongside the importance of cross-sectional collaboration with various stakeholders such as technology companies (e.g., Microsoft) and nongovernmental organisations (e.g., the International Hotline Operators of Europe). This is particularly focused on the situational prevention efforts and deterrence of at-risk populations. Furthermore, psychosocial intervention providers, such as the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, Stop it Now! Helpline, Project PARAPHILE, Kein Tater werden and other secondary prevention services in Germany, show the growth and diversity of work by existing prevention providers. The article concludes with a discussion of current challenges in the prevention of child sexual exploitation material

A lack of association between online pornography exposure, sexual functioning, and mental well-being

To inform debate around potential influences of online pornography, we applied a contemporary media-effects model to examine the relationship between online sexually explicit material (oSEM) exposure and several psychosocial outcomes – including sexual satisfaction, body satisfaction, sexist attitudes, and mental well-being. Perceived realism of oSEM (the extent to which it is believed to be a realistic portrayal of sexual experience) was assessed as a potential mediator of exposure-outcome relationships. Furthermore, family communication about sex and gender were investigated as potential moderators of any indirect relationships (via perceived realism). Using a convenience sample of cisgender, heterosexual adults (N = 252) and a cross-sectional questionnaire design, we found no significant direct or indirect relationships between oSEM-use and the psychosocial outcomes in question; equivalence testing demonstrated that (for all outcomes other than body satisfaction) we could reject effect sizes (rs) > ±.20. Overall, findings do not favour a negative or positive relationship between oSEM and the psychosocial outcomes under examination – oSEM appeared to have a negligible role in individuals’ current sexual functioning and mental well-being