Karnac Books has kindly given us permission to reprint ‘Back to the Root: Healing Potential Sexual Offenders’ Childhood Trauma and Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor,’ a chapter by PBSP Certified Therapist and Supervisor, Juliet Grayson, in Glyn Hudson Allez (Ed.), Sexual Diversity and Sexual Offending: Research, Assessment, and Clinical Treatment in Psychosexual Therapy, Karnac Books, 2014.

Excerpt

“I am often asked about the people I work with who commit sexual offences. “Have they all been sexually abused?” Hudson Allez, speaking from 25 years experience of working with these people, says, “They may not all have been sexually abused – but if you ask, ‘Have they all experienced trauma?’ then it is a yes. Every time. There is trauma in their history.” (Hudson Allez 2012)

Since we know that histories impact upon present-day behavior (Perquin 2004a; Pesso 1997) surely this damage should be addressed as a vital and necessary part of the work of rehabilitation (Hudson Allez 2010). As Morgan and Findlater say, “Research has highlighted that difficulties in attachment are more prevalent in all offenders versus non offenders, but … sexual and violent offenders report greater levels of attachment difficulties than some other types of offender.”  (Morgan & Findlater 2012, p. 26)  Some professionals fear that working with childhood issues of offenders could encourage offenders to see themselves as victims. I see it differently. I think we should be working on the trauma and poor attachment which is the root cause of these issues, alongside therapy specifically focused on stopping the offending behaviour.”

To continue reading click here.