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Therapy
is available for sexual offenders By Diane Conger I would like to respond to Marshall Frank’s recent article on sexual abuse. Smoky Mountain Center, an area program that serves the seven westernmost counties in North Carolina, provides sex offender specific treatment services. The Sexual Abuse Intervention Program (SAIP) includes evaluation, weekly group therapy, and monthly individual and family treatment for convicted sexual offending adults, presenting a low to moderate risk of re-offending. Because this is an out-patient program that takes several years to complete, high-risk offenders are better served in programs like the S.O.A.R. program while they are incarcerated. Out-patient treatment is not appropriate for high-risk offenders like pedophiles who are predators and may have hundreds of victims. In SAIP, trained therapists work closely with Probation/Parole Officers and also identify support people such as family, friends and employers, who are actively involved with treatment. While in the group, participants focus on their thoughts and behaviors that led to the offense, identify high-risk situations, and establish a comprehensive safety plan. The ultimate goal of this treatment is to prevent re-offense and protect the community. Smoky Mountain Center also has an adolescent SAIP program as well as programs for at-risk children. As Mr. Frank pointed out, these are mandatory programs for convicted offenders. One of the reasons 800 numbers for child molesters have not worked is that sexual offenses against children must be reported. Many sexual offenders rationalize their behavior so much to get past our society’s taboos about abuse of children that even after being caught and convicted they are still in denial. Extremely few are willing to seek treatment while they are only fantasizing about offending. Because sex offender treatment is very intensive and lasts for several years, many who have very short sentences choose to do the jail time rather than participate in treatment. Even for those who do choose treatment over incarceration, it takes courage to intensively examine themselves and their behavior and to make lifestyle changes to successfully complete the program. I think Mr. Frank’s article also brought up a tremendously important issue — the silence in our communities surrounding sexual abuse. While family and children are highly valued in our community, there is also a strong sense of pride and a belief that problems should be handled in the family, without outside help. If we hope to stop sexual abuse, we have to be able to talk about it, and more, be willing to do something about it. It’s unthinkable to believe someone we know, let alone our spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend, teacher, or neighbor could sexually abuse someone. But sex offenders are someone’s family member, friend or neighbor. Despite the pain of admitting someone we know or love could be a sex offender, it is vital to not keep it secret. This community must believe, report, and talk about sexual abuse. If you want help or know someone who is being abused, Smoky Mountain Center provides services to children and family members as well as to sex offenders. Conger (MHDL, LPC) is the Sexual Abuse Intervention Coordinator at the Smoky Mountain Center. She can be reached at 828.631.9281, ext.1479. |