Recognizing Practical Maneuverings to Restrict Occurrences of Child Molestation - Research Paper Example

Running head: Identifying effective strategies to curb incidences of child molestation Student’s name Institution Course Professor Date Introduction Sexual molestation is one of the crimes that have induced strong emotional reactions from the public. Several policies intended to reduce child sexual abuse have been directed towards controlling the behaviour of the identified molesters. Due to its large numbers of victims and the extent of its damage to the health of its victims, child molestation has become a national public health problem (Beverly, 2006). They are masters at presenting a resemblance that makes them indistinguishable from the rest in the society. The pattern and personality characteristics associated to a child molester provide a platform to protect children from the offence. Child molesters are diverse in terms of age, occupation, income level, marital status and ethnic group. In order to protect our society, we have an obligation to identify sexual offenders who victimize children. Most of the child molesters are family or friends of the victim who seduce and con adults to gain access to child victims (Beverly, 2006). The fear of these crimes has led to the restrictions of children’s lives such that they are limited in their learning activities. Due to psychological and emotional costs to the victims and their families, high rate of recidivism of sexual molesters and financial burden to incarcerate and rehabilitate molesters have created a need to develop for effective research, diagnosis and treatment (Hanson, & Morton-Bourgon, 2005). Childhood sexual abuse is a major risk factor for a variety of problems both in short term and later in adult life. Increase awareness of child molestation and discomfort with the presence of child molesters in the society prompted researchers and practitioners to seek out efficient and effective mechanisms of assessing and treating child molesters. With a rapid expansion in access to the internet with the information flow being difficult to police, child offenders have misused it by facilitating communication and the distribution of child abuse images (Mann, & Hollin, 2007). The sexual abuse of children grows in silence and secrecy and has kept those who abuse from getting the support and the help they need to avoid harming children. The victims do experience a variety of emotional and physical health problems as a result of being abused. Fear of adults and authority, depression, chronic stress, inability to trust and form intimate relationships are some of the possible consequences (Whitaker, Hanson, Baker, & Rice, 2008). Male child molesters hold cognitive associations between children and sexual concepts that played part in facilitating and maintaining sexual advances towards children. Therefore early diagnoses of child molestation and effective medicines and therapies have a potential to save children from being molested. Alternatively, a sustained prevention efforts and appropriate interventions require in-depth study of the background characteristics that can predispose a person to molesting a child (Dallam, 2001). Childhood molestation is associated with multiple short and long term psychological problems. Among the problems and symptoms that have been associated with childhood sexual abuse include; symptoms of post traumatic stress, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, dissociation, interpersonal dysfunction, eating disorders, sexual problems, substance and suicidality (Dallam, 2001). Adults who molest children have many reasons for them to do so. Some researchers believe it is caused by family and cultural factors that the molester has learned especially during childhood. Alternatively, a comprehensive empirical model of cognitive distortions has a potential to contribute in a suitable way to the identification, assessment and treatment of sexual offenders (Colman, & Widom, 2004). This research paper aims to determine the effective strategies to curb child molestation. Hypothesis Developing of an effective treatment for sexual offenders will curb incidences of child molestation. Research objectives General objectives The general objective is to determine the effective treatment for sexual offenders to curb incidences of child molestation. Specific objectives However, the study specifically seek to 1. Identify the characteristics of child offenders 2. Determine the contributing factors to child molestation 3. Determine the potential psychological and interpersonal impacts of child molestation 4. Determine the possible prevention efforts and appropriate interventions and treatment for sexual offenders to curb child molestation. In this study, child sexual abuse represents a dependent variable. Whereas the independent variables used to achieve the specific objectives include; personality type(Neurotic, Dependent and situational child molesters), contributing factors (alcohol use, socio economic status, and education), psychological and interpersonal impacts (Post traumatic stress, cognitive distortion, emotional pain, impaired sense of self and interpersonal difficulties) and treatment programs (psychological, psychoanalytic, behavioural and family based approaches). Methodology In this study, huge sample of child offenders is gathered, since child molestation is not isolated to individuals with specific marital, social, economic and racial discrimination. The offenders are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The study too will utilize archival data from previous studies on the offence of the sexual offenders. A reliability check on meaning units is employed in order to measure strong levels of reliability and reliability. The variables for the current analysis were operationalised based on available information. Descriptive statistic for each dependent variable was generated. Measures of association were employed appropriately to determine whether any significant relationship between of the identified variables. Child molesters were compared with non- offenders, on sexual offenders or sexual offenders against adults. The findings were converted into a common size and combined through Meta analysis. Most child molesters are from difficult family backgrounds that experiences behavioural problems. Moreover they exhibit disruptive behaviour, substance abuse, poor social skills, aggression and dysfunctional intimate relationships. Child molesters have a history of being sexually victimized during childhood unlike in the case of non sexual offenders. Limitation of the study It is unethical to randomly assign sex offenders to treatment or control groups. Moreover, there is limitation in treatment effectiveness for example the problem of attrition among treatment participants and relatively short follow up periods. There is serious problem with the application of scientific standards of research to treatment of sex offenders. Certain pre and post abuse variables are able to affect the victim and their response to the abuse either in both negative and positive ways. The study do not have large enough sample to examine the variables identified. Recommendation for future research Parents, schools, churches and community groups must work together to develop prevention programs that can incorporate parent training into prevention programs and encourage reporting. The current knowledge about typology can help future researchers in developing improved understanding of the etiology of child molestation. Furthermore, future research need to examine the impacts of child sexual abuse and its related treatments especially in a variety of large samples to general population and utilize multivariate approach to the study of sexual abuse. The outcomes of this study have implications for future research endeavors, since a large sample could provide answers to some of the questions left unanswered in this study. This is an area of research that deserves further attention. This is because improved treatment for child molesters means fewer children victimized each year. References Beverly, D. R.(2006).The Influence of Child Molestation Tendencies and Antisocial Behavior on Sex-related Arrests and Total Number of Arrests, ProQuest. Colman, R.A, Widom, C.S. (2004) Childhood abuse and neglect and adult intimate relationships: A prospective study. Child Abuse Negl 28(11):1133-51. Dallam, S.J. (2001).The long-term medical consequences of childhood maltreatment, The cost of child maltreatment: who pays? We all do. San Diego, CA: Family Violence & Sexual Assault Institute Hanson, K. R., & Morton-Bourgon, K.E. (2005).The characteristics of persistent sexual offenders: A meta-analysis of recidivism studies, Journal of counseling and clinical psychology, 73, 1154-1163 Mann, R., & Hollin, C. R. (2007). Sexual offenders’ explanations for their offending. Journal of sexual aggression, 13, 3-9 Marshal, W. L. (2006). Diagnostic problems with sexual offenders. In W.L, Y.M.Fernandez (eds), sexual offender treatment: Controversial issues. New York: Wiley. Ward, T., & Keenan, T. (1999).Child molester’ implicit theories. Journal of interpersonal violence, 14,821-838 Whitaker, D. J., Hanson, R. K., Baker, C. K., & Rice, D. D. (2008). Risk factors for the perpetration of child sexual abuse: A review and meta-analysis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32,529-548. Read More