Stop it
Now!
A programme to prevent child sexual abuse in the UK and
Netherlands: Research findings and launch of the European
Toolkit.
#preventingCSA
Housekeeping
Launch of UK
research
findings
Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls,
NatCen Social Research
Contents
 Introduction and context
 Project
 Methods
 Effects
 Conclusion
Introduction
and context
Definition
..the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she
does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed
consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally
prepared, or else that violate the laws or social taboos of
society. Children can be sexually abused by adults or
other children who are – by virtue of their age or stage of
development – in a position of responsibility, trust, or
power over the victim.
World Health Organisation, 2006: 10
5
Scale
6
Description
Figure
Source
UK
Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) – 10% of
adults experienced ‘uncomfortable sexual talk’ and
8% ‘unwanted sexual touching’ before age 16.
Bebbington et al, 2011
UK
One in 20 children aged 11 to 17 had experienced
contact sexual abuse, and 34% of children abused
by an adult, and 82% of those abused by a peer, did
not tell anyone.
Radford et al, 2011
Europe
Estimate derived from aggregated research evidence
is that one in five children in Europe has been a
victim of sexual abuse.
Council of Europe, 2010
Online Scale
7
Description
Figure
Source
Online
At least 50,000 known individuals in the UK downloaded or CEOP, 2013
produced child abuse images during 2012.
Online
88% of indecent images in offenders’ collections taken
from their original source (often websites for young
people) and uploaded to pornographic websites.
IWF, 2012
Online
Study of 21 European Union member states found that
across Europe 15 per cent of 11 to 16 year-olds had
received a sexual message online.
Livingstone et al,
2011
Individual and social impact
8
Theoretical framework
 No single type of offence/offender
 Different contextual needs/circumstances
 Risk of offending is dynamic
 Desistance is possible
9
Theoretical framework

Recognised protective factors
Protective factors that may support desistence from sexual offending
(de Vries Robbe et al, 2013).
Healthy sexual
Constructive social
Good problem
Abstention from
interests
and professional
solving
drug/alcohol misuse
support network
Capacity for
emotional intimacy
and satisfying
relationships with
other adults
10
Capacity to set goals Engagement in
and work towards
constructive and
their achievement
rewarding
employment or other
activities
Hopeful, optimistic,
and motivated
attitude to desistence
Purpose of research
Inform and enhance efforts
to tackle child sexual abuse
Researching the Stop it
Now! Helpline and
associated services in the
UK and in the Netherlands.
11
Daphne III Funding
Programme



12
EU provides financial support for activities with a
focus on justice
Daphne III programme aims to contribute to
protection of children, young people and women
against violence
5 studies on perpetrator programmes and
interventions
Project partners
Lucy Faithfull Foundation
de Waag
13
The Prevention Project Dunkelfeld (Berlin)
Save the Children Finland
Methods
Methods
 Research Ethics Approval
 Scoping work: desk based review and interviews with stakeholders
 Economic analysis
User feedback: opt-in approach and offer of anonymity
 32 interviews and 2 focus groups (47 users)
 112 questionnaire responses
 Toolkit for establishing a helpline for potential/ actual abusers
15
Achieved sample
16
Number taking part in
interviews/ focus groups
Number completing
questionnaire
Adults concerned about own
behaviour
32
50
Other adults who can play a
role in preventing CSA
14
19
Victims/survivors of CSA
0
4
Professionals
1
27
Reason for calling unknown
N/A
12
Total
47
112
Adults concerned about own feelings/
behaviour
All 32 interview/ focus group participants had committed a sexual offence
and were known to the authorities.
29 committed internet offences
Profile of people who completed the questionnaire from this category:
17
Accessed online CSA images
28
Contacted a child online
1
Sexual feelings towards children
7
Considering accessing CSA images
6
Concerned they may have sexual contact with a child
1
Effects
Other services e.g.
• Inform, Inform Plus Securus
• GP, mental health
specialist, social services
Belief in
ability to
change
Recognise
risky
behaviour
Techniques
to manage
behaviour
Improved
wellbeing/ability
to self manage
Helpline
Changed
behaviour
/circumstanc
e
Reduced risk
Recognise risk
I'd convinced myself
that…the
pictures…I'd looked
at, there was no
victim
20
Belief in change
There is, there is someone
to talk to, to say, 'Right, you
know? There are steps you
need to do to address
these demons’ - you know?
21
Techniques to manage behaviour
I'm not saying I'm ever
going to be cured, but
the strategies are in
place to stop me
reoffending now.
22
Changed behaviour
Of the 32 people who answered this part of the questionnaire,
two thirds reported ‘they felt more able to manage their
sexual thoughts’ and ‘more able to manage their sexual
behaviour’ since using Stop!
• No access to pornography
• Reduce time online
• Displacement activity – gym, reading
23
Strengthen other protective factors
 Social networks
 Relationships
 Meaningful activity
24
Other services e.g.
• Inform, Inform Plus Securus
• GP, mental health
specialist, social services
Belief in
ability to
change
Recognise
risky
behaviour
Techniques
to manage
behaviour
Improved
wellbeing/ability
to self manage
Helpline
Changed
behaviour
/circumstanc
e
Reduced risk
Theoretical framework

Recognised protective factors
Protective factors that may support desistence from sexual offending
(de Vries Robbe et al, 2013).
Healthy sexual
Constructive social
Good problem
Abstention from
interests
and professional
solving
drug/alcohol misuse
support network
Capacity for
emotional intimacy
and satisfying
relationships with
other adults
26
Capacity to set goals Engagement in
and work towards
constructive and
their achievement
rewarding
employment or other
activities
Hopeful, optimistic,
and motivated
attitude to desistence
Evidenced protective factors
Impacts of Helpline on
people concerned about
their sexual thoughts or
behaviour
Ways in which Helpline
contributed to impacts
Healthy sexual interests



Enabling users to recognise the
significant harm caused by child sexual
abuse
Enabling abusers to manage their
behaviour


Capacity for emotional intimacy and satisfying
relationships with other adults

Strengthening relationships between
abusers and non-abusing partners


Constructive social and professional support
network

Reducing the risk of social isolation


Challenging beliefs that can contribute to sexual
offending
Guiding and supporting users in specific strategies to
reduce risk such as putting restrictions on internet use
or finding healthy replacement activities to
masturbation
Directing users to relevant resources on internet
offending
Advising users on the importance of close
relationships and of how to tell their partner about their
offending
Suggesting partners contact the Helpline for support
Helping identify one or two key people to turn to for
support
Advising on when and how to disclose offending to
others
Engagement in constructive and rewarding
employment or other activities

Increasing engagement in productive
and fulfilling activities

Advising users to remain in employment and increase
time spent on activities such as reading; playing or
watching sport; socialising with friends.
Hopeful, optimistic, and motivated attitude to
desistance

Improving emotional and psychological
wellbeing
Enabling users to recognise that
behaviour can be addressed
Strengthening motivation to desist

Guiding and supporting users in strategies to improve
wellbeing (e.g. breathing exercises; regular exercise)
Helping users to recognise positive facets of their
character
Recognising and highlighting positive achievements
towards desistance
Explaining that users are responsible for their own
behaviour and that change is possible.


27



For me, the, the difference it made to me
was in a time of absolute desperation,
no-one to talk to, not knowing who you
can trust, who you can talk to - and my
husband as well –
it was a life saver.
28
Thank you
If you would like further information
please visit the website:
www.stopitnow-evaluation.co.uk