“I’m not homosexual or heterosexual, I’m paedosexual”: exploring sexual preference for children using interpretive phenomenology

This study investigated the lived experience of five incarcerated participants who possessed a sexual preference for either prepubescent or pubescent children and had completed the Core Sex Offender Treatment Programme in HM Prison Service in England and Wales. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were carried out and the data were analysed using the principles of an interpretative phenomenological approach. Findings Three recurrent themes were identified. These were: (1) Internal Battle, (2) I ’m Always Going to have these Thoughts, and (3) There’s No Help Out There. In particular, these participants perceived that their sexual preference was relatively enduring and would require continuous management. Practical implications The results have implications for clinical practice and f urther research. Cinicians may need to think particularly creatively about their therapeutic plans and extend the parameters of desirable treatment goals for clients with underlying sexual interests in children. Originality/value To date there are very few studies that have examined the accounts of men with a sexual preference for children regarding their lived experience. Paedophilia constitutes a stable sexual preference, suggesting that convicted perpetrators with a sexual preference for children face an inherent problem. Whilst sexual urges may be regulated and arousibility reduced, the underlying attraction may remain intact. In response to the lack of research in th...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - Category: Forensic Medicine Source Type: research