Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Donald Findlater April 2018

- Campaign - Confidential helpline

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse by -known offenders -unknown offenders -those at risk of offending

What do you want them to do? What do they need to know?

What do you want them to do? What do they need to know?

Things we thought we knew…. Risk to children is small Abused children quickly tell Sex offenders are:- male adult strangers

Things we thought we knew….cont’d Fathers Don’t want to/can’t stop We catch the majority Internet offenders – just the same as contact offenders?

So, some things to consider…. Estimated 400,000-450,000 children sexually abused in England 2013/14 Only 1 in 8 known to Police or Children’s Services 60% + of offences take place in “Family Environment” Over 30% abusers are other young people (Office for Children’s Commissioner, 2015) Trainer: take this slide slowly, parents need a moment for the information to sink in …. may use examples of a class of 30 children, including teacher and assistant – how many would be victims (rhetorical question) We hear so often about protecting a child from strangers ... “don’t talk to strangers .... “ “don’t take sweets from strangers ....” But as can be seen 80% of children know their abuser – i.e. it wasn’t a stranger. Trainer: Ask if audience can think of reasons as to why abuse is mostly not reported – repeat what is offered (if appropriate!) or question/clarify if unsure. Prompt an array of ideas and ensure all hear you repeat most relevant ones (especially those that relate to next slide!) 10

How does it happen? The process….and the people Recap what has been covered so far … Now move on to how abusers do what they do – the processes they go through and how they rationalise their behaviour to themselves. 14

Four pre-conditions to child sexual abuse Adapted from: D Finkelhor Child Sexual Abuse: New Theory & Research 1984 Sex with a child Thoughts MOTIVATION ‘Wanting to’ INTERNAL INHIBITORS ‘Conscience’ EXTERNAL INHIBITORS ‘Others’ (Creating Opportunity) OVERCOME VICTIM RESISTANCE ‘Doing it and getting away with it’

Prevention also needs to think about the crime…… Recap what has been covered so far … Now move on to how abusers do what they do – the processes they go through and how they rationalise their behaviour to themselves. 16

Eck’s “Crime Triangle” (basic chemistry of crime) Offender Crime Problem Victim Place

Eck’s “Crime Triangle” Offender Handlers Crime Problem Place Managers Guardians Victim Place

Where does sexual abuse occur? Domestic settings Highest prevalence (60-80%?) Organisational settings Approx 5% of all known incidents Many/most involve young person as alleged perpetrator Schools the most common setting; sexual bullying the most common context Public settings Low prevalence, but in rare cases especially dangerous (e.g. abduction/homicide) ‘Virtual’ settings Production, distribution & possession of sexual images of children; online ‘grooming’; online sexual harassment/bullying.

A Comprehensive Framework for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention (Before harm) Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention (After abuse) Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Treatment programmes for convicted sex offenders Where on the framework? Treatment programmes for convicted sex offenders All types of people could be abusers …. They CAN be people we know … care about etc. Re Cultures – speaking to a Chinese man he said no child abuse in China, “Chinese men don’t have these thoughts” .. When challenged he said it was only in England – “English disease!”… challenged again that it happens in all communities but not reported – he said no AND there aren’t any homosexuals in China either – they are all put in prison and given hard labour! 23 23

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) -Sex offender treatment -Prison -Sex offender registration etc -Circles of Support and Accountability Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Where on the framework? Awareness-raising prevention education programmes for all parents and carers All types of people could be abusers …. They CAN be people we know … care about etc. Re Cultures – speaking to a Chinese man he said no child abuse in China, “Chinese men don’t have these thoughts” .. When challenged he said it was only in England – “English disease!”… challenged again that it happens in all communities but not reported – he said no AND there aren’t any homosexuals in China either – they are all put in prison and given hard labour! 26 26

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Parents Protect Situations

Where on the framework? Campaign to stop and prevent the viewing of sexual images of children online All types of people could be abusers …. They CAN be people we know … care about etc. Re Cultures – speaking to a Chinese man he said no child abuse in China, “Chinese men don’t have these thoughts” .. When challenged he said it was only in England – “English disease!”… challenged again that it happens in all communities but not reported – he said no AND there aren’t any homosexuals in China either – they are all put in prison and given hard labour! 30 30

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Posters

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) IIOC Deterrence Campaign IIOC Deterrence campaign Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Where on the framework? Primary school programme of personal safety and sex education for all 10 year olds All types of people could be abusers …. They CAN be people we know … care about etc. Re Cultures – speaking to a Chinese man he said no child abuse in China, “Chinese men don’t have these thoughts” .. When challenged he said it was only in England – “English disease!”… challenged again that it happens in all communities but not reported – he said no AND there aren’t any homosexuals in China either – they are all put in prison and given hard labour! 34 34

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Prevention Targets Offenders Hedgehogs (Potential) Victims (Children) Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Hedgehogs Victims (Children) Families/ Communities Situations

Prevention Targets Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) Families/ Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Offenders (Potential) Victims (Children) “Talk PANTS” Families/ Communities Situations

(Some) Lucy Faithfull Foundation Prevention Activities Primary prevention Secondary Prevention Tertiary Abusers or potential abusers Hedgehogs Stop it Now! Helpline Stop! Scotland Prison Project Get-Help website Inform YP Sex Offender Treatment Circles of Support and Accountability Inform + / Inform YP Securus Monitoring Children and Young People Internet Safety Classes Internet Safety classes for at risk groups Therapeutic work (Family Courts/Social Services) Communities/ Families Parents Protect Internet Safety Seminars (Prim’y) Stop it Now! Materials BAMER (Somali, Pakistani, Jewish communities) Parents Protect + Internet Safety seminars (Secondary) Inform Family Court Assessment/Intervention Protective Parenting >Parents Protect (Home Office) Project >Parents Protect Plus >Inform+ >Inform >Circles of Support & Accountability >Securus Monitoring >Stop it Now! Helpline >Safer Recruitment Training

Child sexual abuse – preventable, not inevitable.

Thank you! donald@donaldfindlater.com