Table Of ContentSEXUAL CRIME
Sexual Crime
and
Trauma
Edited by
Helen Swaby · Belinda Winder
Rebecca Lievesley · Kerensa Hocken
Nicholas Blagden · Phil Banyard
Sexual Crime
Series Editors
Belinda Winder
Department of Psychology
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, UK
Nicholas Blagden
Department of Psychology
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, UK
Rebecca Lievesley
Department of Psychology
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, UK
Helen Swaby
Department of Counselling
Bishop Grosseteste University
Lincoln, UK
Kerensa Hocken
HMP Whatton
Nottingham, UK
Phil Banyard
Department of Psychology
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, UK
Craig A. Harper
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, UK
Sexual Crime is an edited book series devised by a team at SOCAMRU
led by Professor Belinda Winder in the Psychology Division at
NottinghamTrent University.
It offers original contributions to specific avenues of research within
the field of sexual crime with each volume drawing together a review of
theliteraturefromacrossdisciplines,includingcuttingedgeresearchand
practice, original material from services and offenders themselves as well
as future directions for research and practice.
Thesevolumeswillbehighlyrelevanttoclinicalandforensicpsychol-
ogists and therapists, offender managers and supervisors, social workers
and those working in the field of rehabilitation. They will be a great
source of insight for academics, researchers and students in these disci-
plines as well as criminologists and policy makers.
More information about this series at
http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/15477
· ·
Helen Swaby Belinda Winder
· ·
Rebecca Lievesley Kerensa Hocken
·
Nicholas Blagden Phil Banyard
Editors
Sexual Crime
and Trauma
Editors
Helen Swaby BelindaWinder
Department of Counselling Department of Psychology
Bishop Grosseteste University NottinghamTrent University
Lincoln, UK Nottingham, UK
Rebecca Lievesley Kerensa Hocken
Department of Psychology HMPWhatton
NottinghamTrent University Nottingham, UK
Nottingham, UK
Phil Banyard
Nicholas Blagden Department of Psychology
Department of Psychology NottinghamTrent University
NottinghamTrent University Nottingham, UK
Nottingham, UK
Sexual Crime
ISBN 978-3-030-49067-6 ISBN 978-3-030-49068-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49068-3
©The Editor(s) (if applicable) andThe Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Switzerland AG 2020
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher,
whetherthewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprinting,
reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical
way,andtransmissionorinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,
or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publicationdoesnot imply,evenintheabsenceof aspecific statement,thatsuch namesareexempt
from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Thepublisher,theauthorsandtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformationinthis
book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the
authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained
herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made.The publisher remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Cover credit: masahiro Makino/gettyimages
This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Foreword
I first heard the words ‘trauma-informed care’ (TIC) in 2012 when I
saw a documentary called ‘Healing Neen’, a powerful story aboutTonier
Cain, an inspiring survivor of unthinkable childhood abuse, neglect and
family dysfunction. As a clinician working with survivors and perpetra-
tors of sexual assault, the film propelled me to learn more about TIC
and how it translates into practice. As a researcher, I was motivated to
investigate the legacy of early adversity in people who had committed
sexual crimes, and to better understand how traumagenic experiences
contribute to victimisation of others.
When I began working with people who had sexually abused in the
early1990s,IaskedmyclinicalsupervisorforguidanceonwhatIshould
do. He replied: ‘Just talk to them about how their week was. You can’t
reallyhelpthemanyway’.Ididnotbelievethatthen,andIdonotbelieve
it now. I believe that our relationships with clients can be incredibly
healing, and that effective interventions start with a human connection.
This human connection is at the heart of trauma-informed care; healing
begins with a helper who believes in a client. Change begins with the
v
vi Foreword
genuinebeliefthatsexoffendingissomethingourclientshavedone,but
it does not need to define who they are.
There is a growing body of literature indicating that early trauma
canleadtoemotionalandbehaviouraldysregulation,problematiccogni-
tive schemas, dysfunctional relational patterns and maladaptive coping
strategies. These trauma-related consequences increase risk for what we
know as ‘dynamic risk factors’. Therefore, early abuse itself may not be
a ‘predictor’ of risk or recidivism, but the associated consequences of
traumacan contributetodynamic risk.Traumais nowrecognised across
the helping professions and scientific disciplines as a public health crisis,
and as a risk factor to be considered and treated in physical and mental
health disorders. By seeing sex-offending treatment through the lens
of trauma, this book makes an important contribution to cutting-edge
theories and practices.
I am honoured and excited to be offering these thoughts to intro-
duce this book. This volume represents a turning of the tide, and a
paradigmshiftinourwayofthinkingaboutourclient’streatmentneeds.
The treatment outcome research for people who have sexually offended
has been somewhat disappointing. I would argue that our field has
neglected important principles of psychotherapy in favour of offence-
specific programming that is often too confrontational for clients to feel
a safe therapeutic alliance, and based upon a dogmatic and paternalistic
approach to treatment needs. A movement towards trauma-informed,
strengths-based, person-centred, motivational, and non-shaming assess-
ment and treatment planning will, I believe, contextualise our evidence-
informed programmes within the empirical and theoretical foundations
of what works to help people change.
Thefirstchapterexploresarangeoftherapeuticapproachestoworking
with trauma in people who have been convicted for sexual offences.
The chapter examines accounts of interventions using neuropsycholog-
ical,psychodynamic,attachmentfocussed,cognitivebehavioural/schema
focussed, cognitive analytic and milieu-based therapies. Feminist and
restorative justice approaches are also incorporated in the discussion.
Thechapteridentifiesthecriticalroleofattachmentwiththerapists,and
social connection in bringing about change and preventing future harm.
Foreword vii
A summary of the key factors suggested by this disparate literature as
being useful for working with this population is offered.
The complexities of trauma-informed care in secure settings such as
prisonsandforensichospitalsareexploredinChapter2.Therearemany
challenges that professionals face in understanding and implementing
TIC in these settings, and the author offers practical and reflective ques-
tions useful for professionals and organisations alike. By considering the
ways that the sequelae (or after-effects) of trauma can contribute to, or
develop into, risk factors for sexual re-offence, we can help clients better
achieve the pursuit of a balanced, self-determined lifestyle in accordance
with the Good Lives Model.
Chapter 3 outlines the importance of developing Compassion
Focussed Practice with those who have committed sexual offences. By
understanding the legacy of complex trauma, the authors make sugges-
tions for the development of a trauma sensitive approach to care and
treatment.Onceagain,linksbetweentraumaticexperiencesandharmful
sexual behaviour will be discussed, with a focus on how treatment can
be enhanced through the use of compassion focussed therapy. Helping
clients build empathy towards others is important in preventing future
harm, and that begins with modelling empathy for our clients. To
illustrate the utility of this approach, a case study is also presented.
Chapter4focusesonthetraumahistoriesofyoungpeoplewhodisplay
sexually harmful behaviour. This chapter seeks to integrate our current
understanding of how traumatic experiences impact child development
with how we have come to identify, assess and treat problematic and
harmful sexual behaviour in children and adolescents.The author high-
lights the varied and shifting definitions of trauma, and encourages
readerstomovebeyondasimplecalculationofAdverseChildhoodExpe-
riences (ACE) to a more contextual approach that evaluates the impact
of these experiences within a developmental perspective. The chapter
concludeswithafocusontheprinciplesofrisk-need-responsivity(RNR)
and argues that taking a developmental treatment approach to youth
sexual behaviour problems can individualise treatment and promote
thosefactorsthatfosterresiliencyandgrowthwhilealsodiminishingrisk.
viii Foreword
Chapter5exploresthecurrentknowledgeanddevelopingattitudesof
women who have committed sexual offences. There is a growing recog-
nition of the prevalence of trauma in the lives of women involved with
criminal justice systems–the nature, prevalence and impact of which is
explored. This chapter draws on the authors’ clinical experience about
the characteristics, prior experiences and needs of women convicted of
sexual offences. Areas where empirical evidence and knowledge remain
lacking are highlighted. The model of trauma training implemented
across the Women’s Prison Estate, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation
Service is briefly described, and the chapter summarises the movement
towards working individually with women convicted of sexual offences
in a compassion focused, strengths-based and trauma-informed way.
Exposure to the trauma stories of patients and the stories of harm
causedtootherscreatesa‘costtocaring’.Workinginandaroundtrauma
takes its toll on professional helpers. Seldom discussed is the direct risk
of harm that our forensic staff face in their work. Chapter 6 proposes a
modelofCompassionFocusedStaffSupport(CFSS)aimedatmanaging
the impact of trauma exposure on staff wellbeing. Enabling workers to
develop compassion while also attending to the group dynamics and
underlying unconscious processes will be illustrated with a view from
the staff and facilitators who are engaged in this work.
Chapter 7 describes the therapeutic community (TC) model for
workingwithindividualsconvictedofsexualcrime.Thechapterdemon-
strates how TCs work to address past trauma and offending, through
the voice of a service user and staff member. A commentary from a
resident’s perspective provides unique insight into the experience of
undertaking therapy to work through childhood trauma and subse-
quent offending. The chapter also offers a description of the innova-
tive programme at HMP Grendon–a prison-based TC in the UK, and
the impact this work can have on staff. Finally, the chapter considers
the importance of trauma-informed work culture, and how a positive
employmentenvironmentcanplayavitalroleintheexperiencesofthose
residing there.
Chapter 8, provides some food for thought regarding trauma-
informed care in the context of evidence-based RNR models of SOTX.
Foreword ix
Weexplorethedefinitionsanduseofevidence,theoryandclinicalexper-
tise that comes together to provide relevant individualised services for
clients. We argue that trauma-informed clinicians who recognise the
prevalence of early adversities in the clients we treat, and their role
in shaping self-regulation deficits, are better prepared to deliver effec-
tive treatment programming. By viewing clients’ strengths, needs, risks
and behaviours through the lens of trauma, we open up new avenues
for improvements in our services, to reduce the likelihood of future
victimisation.
An important final thought is to note that by integrating trauma-
related responses in our work, we are by no means minimising the pain
andsufferingofvictims.Norareweintendingtoobfuscateresponsibility
for causing sexual harm.The reality is that our clients are complex, and
theirpathstooffendingareoftenpavedintheirowntraumahistory;hurt
peoplehurtothers.Thisbookistheforkintheroadtomorehumaneand
effective treatments to prevent sexual recidivism. The evidence is clear
regarding the neuro-cognitive and psychosocial impacts of childhood
trauma, as well as the intergenerational legacy of cultural and historical
traumas in oppressed and marginalised populations. We believe that by
integrating the science of trauma into the art of psychotherapy, we will
improve treatment outcomes.
Dr. Jill S. Levenson, Ph.D., LCSW
Professor of SocialWork
