A Feasibility Study of a Canadian Child Sexual Abuse Perpetration Prevention Program

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on child sexual exploitation prevention programs in mandatory reporting jurisdictions.
• Online or other child sexual exploitation or abuse (OCSEA) perpetration prevention programs aim to intervene before offending occurs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a mixed-method feasibility evaluation of the Talking for Change (TFC) OCSEA perpetration prevention therapy program.
• To assess client recruitment, clinical profiles, and program satisfaction within a mandatory reporting context.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-method feasibility evaluation.
• Recruitment of adult clients (n=40) referred to the TFC program.
• Analysis of client risk factors, protective factors, comorbid mental health issues, and prior child sexual abuse material (CSAM) use.
• Qualitative interviews to assess client satisfaction, yielding five key themes.

Main Results:

• 162 distinct individuals were referred to the program, with increasing annual referrals.
• Clients presented with risk factors (paraphilic interests, sexual self-regulation issues) and protective factors (empathy), alongside high rates of comorbid mental health problems and prior CSAM use.
• Client satisfaction interviews highlighted the program's value in promoting acceptance and accountability, but also noted challenges with a "one size fits all" approach.

Conclusions:

• OCSEA perpetration prevention programs, such as TFC, are feasible within mandatory reporting jurisdictions.
• Findings have implications for program delivery and adaptation in similar legal and clinical settings.