Youth with Sexual Behavior Problems: Policy Issues, Implications, and Recommendations for Prevention

• NCJ Number: 207615
• Journal: Sex Offender Law Report Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Dated: October/November 2004 Pages: 69-70,82,84
• Author(s): Alisa Klein MAIP; Joan Tabachnick M.B.A
• Editor(s): Karen J. Terry Ph.D.
• Date Published: October 2004
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines the issue of youth with sexual behavior problems and the public education and public policy approaches developed to address and respond to this issue, specifically Stop It Now, a public education program targeting prevention messages to parents of children with sexual behavior problems.

Abstract

Youth with sexual behavior problems present a complicated challenge to society. There have been limited models developed in responding to this complicated issue, as well as in the areas of prevention and treatment. Yet, past research studies indicate that people under the age of 18 who have acted in sexually abusive ways are very responsive to specialized treatment. This article examines effective public health and policy approaches that have the ability to ease the labeling and accompanying anguish, but promote effective prevention strategies to ease the development of sexual behavior problems in children and adolescents. Stop It Now! is a public health approach to preventing child sexual abuse. Its central premise is that children should not be held responsible for stopping their own abuse. It holds adults responsible for improving their knowledge, changing their attitudes, and taking action to end the sexual abuse of children. Stop It Now! targets specific adult audiences, with one of those three audiences being the parents of children with sexual behavior problems. Stop It Now! employs a unique, public health-based approach; it talks to parents directly to hear what they need and then develops the prevention messages, support materials, and public policy advocacy measures that will be most helpful to families and to the youth displaying sexual behavior problems. Consistent themes expressed by families in confronting this behavior are: shame and isolation and inadequate information. The article discusses materials developed to address these themes and proposed policy changes for the creation of a social environment that can deal effectively with the issue of youth with sexual behavior problems.