Preventing Sexual Harm provides an overview of current criminal justice strategies for tackling sexual violence, and highlights existing positive criminological approaches that could help prevent sexual abuse and harm. Sexual violence is a complex, multi-faceted crime. Its causes and consequences are both multiple and enduring and our understanding of sexual violence is embedded within our social, cultural, and political constructs. As such, a response to sexual violence ought to be equally complex and multi-faceted. Alternative approaches might therefore be needed, such as positive criminology. This book explores positive criminology as a mechanism to reduce the risk of recidivism, eradicate harm, prevent reoffending as well as to help reintegrate those with histories of sexual abuse back into the community. In light of recent historic cases of sexual abuse and poor institutional response to these allegations, it opens with an overview of the current landscape of sexual offending. The book then reviews the current positive criminological approaches already in existence in the effort to prevent sexual abuse by outlining the approach of positive criminology and by demonstrating the many gaps in practice that might benefit from this new way of working to prevent sexual abuse. By highlighting that an alternative response to sexual violence is needed, and by presenting the idea that a positive criminological paradigm is worthy of further examination, this book will be of great interest to scholars of criminology, criminal justice, and forensic psychology.

Are you ready to abuse-proof your congregation? If one child or adult is spared the confusing ordeal of unwanted touch, it will be worth your time to read this book. In this comprehensive resource, Methodist pastor and pastoral psychologist Karen McClintock demonstrates that sexual abuse in congregations is preventable and gives clergy and lay leaders the tools they need to prevent it. This book shows congregations how to protect children and vulnerable adults, prevent sexual harassment either by clergy or of clergy, and strengthen clergy families by raising awareness of the occupational and emotional risks inherent in pastoral ministry. When you have finished this book, you will be familiar with the conditions in parishes and in the mental health of the individuals within them that lead to risky behaviors. You will be equipped to recognize and set sexual boundaries for yourself and to open dialogue about these issues in your congregation. You will have laughed at, celebrated, and honored human sexual power, pleasure, and vulnerability. You will have gained the knowledge you need, and perhaps the courage, to communicate these ideas within your congregation so that children and vulnerable adults are protected.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is an insidious crime that can destroy the lives of innocent children and leave their families devastated. The topic of child sexual abuse is, at best, a difficult subject to discuss and at worst, a horrifying one. Child sexual abuse has been defined as: "Child sexual abuse involves any sexual activity with a child where consent is not or cannot be given. This includes sexual contact that is accomplished by force or threat of force, regardless of the age of the participants, and all sexual contact between an adult and a child, regardless of whether there is deception or the child understands the sexual nature of the activity. Sexual contact between an older and a younger child also can be abusive if there is a significant disparity in age, development, or size, rendering the younger child incapable of giving informed consent. The sexually abusive acts may include sexual penetration, sexual touching, or non-contact sexual acts such as exposure or voyeurism." The following is a representative list of risk factors related specifically to child sexual abuse within youth-serving organizations. Note that the emphasis is on "unsupervised" access to children in a variety of ways. * Unsupervised contact with children * Transportation of children * Long term contact with children in live-in situation * Extreme physical exertion in a remote setting with children * Visit to children's homes * Helping children change clothes, bathe, or with other personal activities * Coaching sports in which physical contact between adult and child is routine * Delivery of meals to children's homes While many of the YSO's have undertaken a number of steps to keep the children safe, there are many such organizations that have not faced the facts about the profound risks to children that exist every day.

Public policy responses to child sexual abuse are dominated by interventions designed to take effect only after offenders have already begun offending, and after children have already been sexually abused. Comparatively little attention has been given to alternative prevention strategies – particularly to those aimed at preventing sexual abuse before it might otherwise occur. Considerable knowledge has been accumulated on the characteristics, modus operandi and persistence of offenders, the characteristics, circumstances and outcomes for victims, and the physical and social settings in which sexual abuse occurs, but little work has been done to systematically apply this knowledge to prevention. This book aims to fulfill this objective through integrating clinical and criminological concepts and knowledge to inform a more comprehensive and effective public policy approach to preventing child sexual abuse. Empirical and theoretical knowledge concerning child sexual abuse is integrated with broader developments in evidence-based crime and child maltreatment prevention, leading to new ideas about understanding and preventing child sexual abuse. This book will be essential reading for anybody with interests in this field.

This Brief focuses on youth who engage in sexually harmful behavior and how they transition back into public schools after serving time in a juvenile detention center or treatment facility. The Brief examines the difference between normal sexual behaviors and sexually harmful behaviors and provides an overview of the theories of sexual offending. It also compares youth who sexually harm to other deviant groups; assesses intragroup similarities and differences; and reviews child and family risk factors. In addition, it provides a summary of prevention programs for all students and for those who are at risk to sexually re-offend. Finally, the Brief illustrates how a youth who has engaged in sexually harmful behavior could potentially transition back into school and discusses the school’s role in treatment. Sexually Harmful Youth: Successful Reintegration to School is an essential resource for researchers, professionals, and graduate students in child and school psychology, social work, and public health.

This book sets out an integrated systems model which utilizes a public health approach and 'whole of society' philosophy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. It guides those engaged in policy, practice and planning concerning gender based violence and child abuse towards a more systemic approach to tackling these problems.

This convention aims to prevent the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, protect child victims of sexual offences and prosecute perpetrators. With an emphasis on respecting the rights of children and keeping their best interests in the forefront, the convention covers preventive measures; criminal offences, including several entirely new offences, such as "child grooming"; protective measures and assistance to child victims and their families; "child-friendly" procedures for investigation and prosecution which are adapted to children's special needs; intervention programmes or measures for child sex offenders; recording and storing of data on convicted sex offenders; international co-operation and a monitoring mechanism.

The sexual abuse of children is now seen as an enormous problem; first, because there is an increasing awareness that it is more prevalent than previously thought, and second, because it gives rise to so many complex questions. How is sexual abuse to be defined? What are the effects of abuse? How can the victim be helped? How can abuse be prevented? These two comprehensive volumes cover a wide spectrum of basic and applied issues. Expert contributors -- including physicians, attorneys, psychologists, philosophers, social workers, and engineers -- address such relevant topics as epidemiology, animal models, legal reforms, feminist scholarship, child pornography, medical assessment, and diverse models of psychotherapeutic intention.

Overcoming Abuse: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Protection is an encyclopedic manual for parents, caregivers or helpers to educate their self and train children on body safety. This is an indispensable resource for anyone who is interested in becoming aware and informed about child sexual abuse (CSA). It is an informative reservoir on the dynamics of child sexual abuse, the sex offender profile, and a guide on how to protect and prevent a child from being a target of CSA anywhere, including the internet. Instructs the adult: on initiating conversation to help the child gain an understanding about the precious gift of his body. Introduces and walks the adult through a healthy age-appropriate biblical perspective on human sexuality. The process of overcoming CSA for the parent/caregiver and child is spelled out (whether the parent/child have experienced CSA or not) healing and hope are offered. An example of a Body Safety Family Plan is provided to develop the skills of self-protection. The parent/caregiver are able to reassure the child that home is where love is—and CSA is not!