Where there is a victim there is an offender

A systemic approach to working with Sexual Violence with a focus on Intra Familial (within a family system) experiences from the lens of Sexual Harmful Behaviour.

Sexual Abuse and the Dynamics that Unfold in the Therapeutic Setting
Setting the Scene: What is in the Room the role of transference and countertransference, the reliving of trauma and the dynamics that unfold.

Introduction

Child Sexual Abuse is an impactful experience; disruptive to developmental and relational processes in ways that arrest the nervous system within the stress responses and are deleterious to interpersonal relationships (such as within families, friendships, and with intimate partners). Moreover, the intrapersonal effects and psychosocial impacts on the development of trust in oneself and in others can be felt by those affected across their lifespan. When we consider how to support those who have been impacted by sexual abuse whether directly as a victim or a family member of a victim, a professional or a member of the public, our thinking is socially constructed regarding those that have offended mostly in a negative way. Yet the research informs us that to fully understand and prevent sexual abuse we must understand the dynamics of sexual abuse from the lens of those that have caused the abuse.

Recovery for adults who experienced Sexual Abuse in childhood often contains the rewarding pearls and painful pitfalls that come with trauma and grief work in counselling and psychotherapy. Understanding the long-term impacts and how this manifest in relationships and inevitably in therapeutic relationships. Understanding how to work with this with a specific focus on the dynamics that emerge ‘in the room’.

For many years, the focus has been on clerical sexual abuse, however many individuals are now presenting with intra-familial or sibling and online experiences of sexual abuse. This brings a very different dynamic to the therapeutic space and the presentation of the clients that needs to be understood to support both the client and therapist. Additionally, current mandated reporting implications for therapy and what works to help ensure any rupture is either avoided or identified and managed well will also be addressed.

The course will cover:

Content

• The aetiology of Sexual Offending , Types of Sexual Offences, contact, and online, Familial and Intra-Familial
• Actuarial Instruments to assess Recidivism, STATIC -99R, STABLE 2007, ACUTE 2007. AIM3
• Working therapeutically with individuals who have been impacted by sexual abuse from a systemic lens considering multiple theories such as Family Therapy, Pluralism, etc.
• An overview of the adult CSA survivor.
• An overview of sibling sexual abuse and online sexual abuse and the long-term impacts and implications for the victim.
• What clients say works in therapy.
• The therapeutic relationship and attributes of a counsellor working with adult clients of CSA with a specific focus on the context i.e. intra or extra-familial abuse.
• Moral Distress.
• Boundaries and self-care.
• Reflexive Practice.
• Guideposts for resources, including Children First and Mandated Reporting.