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Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Phenomenon of Adults Who Are Sexually Attracted to Children

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Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Phenomenon of Adults Who Are Sexually Attracted to Children Wilfrid Laurier University Scholars Commons @ Laurier Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) 2020 Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Phenomenon of Adults who are Sexually Attracted to Children Heather Horn Wilfrid Laurier University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd Part of the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Horn, Heather, "Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Phenomenon of Adults who are Sexually Attracted to Children" (2020). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 2331. https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2331 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PREVENTING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: UNDERSTANDING THE PHENOMENON OF ADULTS WHO ARE SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO CHILDREN by HEATHER ANN HORN Bachelor of Social Work, University of Victoria, 2007 Bachelor of Science (Honours) Psychology, Trent University, 1994 THESIS Submitted to the Faculty of Social Work in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Social Work Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Ó Heather Ann Horn 2020 ABSTRACT Title: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Phenomenon of Adults Who Are Sexually Attracted to Children Purpose: The goal of this research is to understand the phenomenon of adult sexual attraction to children through a prevention lens, from perspectives of those who are sexually attracted to children. Gaining direct experiences from those who live with this problem every day may provide insight into perceptions, beliefs, risks and prevention strategies for this population. Methods: This study utilizes a mixed methods approach in three phases. With permission from the founders of the website called Virtuous Pedophiles, the members of this peer support network formed the study population. The first phase consisted on a review of online commentaries written by youth and adults who are sexually attracted to children. The second phase included the development of an online survey and the distribution of the survey link to members of the website with open and close ended questions. Two standardized instruments were used to measure self-esteem and stigma to ask for help. A statistical analysis was done of quantitative data as well as a thematic analysis of qualitative data gathered by two open ended questions at the end of the online survey. The third phase analyzed open ended survey question which triangulated findings from all three phases of the study. Findings: A combination of individual, network and social factors appear to contribute to enhance or inhibit the risks for non-offending adults attracted to children to act on this attraction. Factors that contributed to increased risk included self-esteem and stigma, isolation, barriers to seeking help, and age of onset. Specific protective factors that may decrease risk and motivate this population to not offend included self-control, and both informal (peer) and formal supports, which were consistent among participants through the triangulation of data. i Conclusion: Findings of the thesis suggest several recommendations for social work practice, research and policy. Considering that current strategies have not eradicated CSA and that they remain to be reactionary, gaining insight in to how some adults with a sexual attraction to children remain non-offending can help to inform future treatment or support strategies. Alternative treatment or support for this population could contribute to the prevention of CSA. A social ecological model is used to review implications within findings as a multi-level multi- faceted approach to ending CSA. INDEX WORDS: Adults with pedophilic tendencies; Child sexual abuse; non-offending pedophiles; Adults with sexual attractions to children; ii DEDICATION I wish to dedicate this research study to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse. I recognize that your lives have been forever changed. You are the driving force behind the work I do. You are what inspired me to embark on a journey of exploring alternative prevention strategies that place the onus of child protection on those who are at risk to perpetrate it and to source out services that may support non-offending. I would further like to dedicate this research to the tireless work done by Child Protection Workers, Police Officers, and Child Advocates throughout our province. In particular, Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region, the Waterloo Region Police Services Youth Protection Unit, and the Child Witness Centre Advocates, making up the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Waterloo Region and with whom I work with daily. To youth who come to realize that they are sexually attracted to younger children, this research was also completed in hopes to inform early help strategies that not only support non- offending, but also help in addressing the isolation and fear you must live with every day. Finally, to all adults who are sexually attracted to children who do NOT offend, thank you for having the insight and integrity to keep yourself safe, thereby keeping children safe. To the Virtuous Pedophiles founders and members, thank you for supporting and participating in this research. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to the participants of this study for your bravery in contributing to this research, providing your comments about your experiences, about who you are, as well as your recommendations surrounding prevention and education. To my thesis supervisor, Dr. Eliana Suarez, thank you for being willing to work with me on this challenging subject. I would not have been able to explore this area without your flexibility, compassion, and open-mindedness. Thank you for your ongoing patience with me during this process; I know it was not an easy task. To my committee members, Dr. Magnus Mfoafo-M’Carthy and Dr. Jill Stoddart, thank you both for your expedient responses and advice in ensuring we were able to keep to the intense deadline. To Dr. Kristen Lwin (University of Windsor), thank you for agreeing to take serve as my external examiner given the time constraints and important subject matter. I have learned a great deal from all of you during this process and feel the work will continue. To my colleagues at Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region, the Waterloo Regional Police Service, the Child Witness Center, St. Mary’s Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Treatment Centre, the internal group at the CYAC, thank-you all for your encouragement. I know you are equally passionate about keeping children safe and working with those at risk of harm or risk to offend in seeking early support to eradicate child sexual abuse. In this field, the goal truly is to work yourself out of a job. To my colleague, Leyco Wilson, thank you for spending time clarifying so many things for me, your expertise was invaluable. To my beautiful friend, J.E.D., thank you for being so supportive and keeping me focused throughout the final months of my degree. I would not have finished this under the intense time frame without you pushing me forward when I really had no steam left. iv To my mom, my brother, and my nephews, thank you for always believing in me. My life is truly blessed. And to my life partner Michael, I would never have had the courage and strength to do this without your reassurance, friendship, and love. Thank you for encouraging me, supporting me, listening to me when things got tough and for believing in me when I was ready to give up. You are a wonderful husband and father to our children. To Dannica and Liam you both inspire me every day. I hope we are the type of parents who you can come to with anything, good or bad, and that you know we will always be there for you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... i DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. vi TABLE OF TABLES ................................................................................................................ xiii TABLE OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ xv Terminology and Language ..................................................................................................... xvii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Literature Review and Purpose of Study ................................................................. 3 2.1 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Theoretical Frameworks of the Origins of Pedophilia ..................................................... 4 2.3 Societal Perceptions of Adult Sexual Attraction to Children ........................................... 6 2.4 Rationale for Broad Use of the Term
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