CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE AMONG CLINICIAN WORKING WITH SEX OFFENDERS

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been related to a range of psychiatric problems. Given CSA prevalence estimates, it would be surprising not to find some victims among clinicians working with sex offenders. The present mail survey obtained reports of CSA from 36.9% of female and 27.3% of male respondents (N = 150), higher-than-typical estimates from studies using similar methodology. The reported acts ranged from noncontact to penetration, but were mostly minor with few emotional effects reported. Clinicians reporting CSA perceived its effects on their work with sex offenders to be positive or nonexistent. Possible reasons for the high prevalence of CSA reports are considered The authors encourage awareness of apparently high rates of subjectively mild CSA among clinicians working with sex offenders.