Female sexual abusers- a gender responsive perspective

Sherry Ashfield York June 2010

Aim Increase knowledge of basic

research relating to female sex offenders

Explore the importance of gender

Consider practical implications

Who we are The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is a child

protection charity specialising in sexually harmful behaviours.

Work is completed in family court and criminal justice settings.

The adolescent team is funded by the Youth Justice Board and has teams based in 6 prison establishments

Funding has also been made available for individual assessments of adolescent females within the secure estate.

Work completed with female sexual abusers in a criminal justice setting.

The Female Outreach Project was set up in 2001 following the completion of a pilot SOTP in HMP Styal to offer an assessment and consultancy service to women who were not able to access any other treatment. In March 2009-10 involvement occurred in <40 cases.

Training and liaison has also been completed with four ‘approved premises’ for women.

From April 2010 funding has been devolved to individual DOMS –this has significant implications for treatment provisions

LFF maintains close links with HM Prison Service and a range of research projects through Birmingham and Swansea University.

Although the Ministry Of Justice has indicated its plans to roll out a strategy for female sexual offenders this remains in the early research stages.

Perceptions of female abuse

Western society finds it very difficult to equate a nurturing, passive view of femininity with violence and sexual aggression, particularly toward children (Bunting, 2007; Denov, 2003, 2004; Hetherton, 1999; Saradjian, 1996).

Female sexual abuse;reaction of

professionals

Professional groups viewed female sexual abuse as less harmful than sexual abuse by men. Moreover they made efforts either consciously or unconsciously to transform the female and her behaviour into more culturally acceptable notions of female behaviour. This ultimately led to denial of the problem.

(Study with Police and other professionals Denov 2001,2003)

Professional Responsesin Britain (NSPCC 2005)

Lack of professional awareness Policies and procedures not used when

abuser is female Women rarely seen as equal partners Less inclination to prosecute; greater

evidence needed Training a key issue in awareness raising Policies and procedures should explicitly

recognise female sex offenders Bunting (2005) NSPCC

Common ‘explanations’

She’s just over affectionate He must have forced her into it He was very grown up Her motive can’t be sexual, so she’s

not really doing much harm She really did mean to do it –

women don’t do that - she’s evil (or she’s insane)!

Gender Bias/Gender Blind (Miller 2003) Gender biased –

rooted in stereotypical beliefs about females and tend to view female abusers as very different to males in terms of offences and motivations

Focus on victimisation

Gender blind-Begin from an assumption that female abusers are no different to males and disregard concept of gender

View victimisation as attempts to make excuses for behaviours

Gender Responsiveness

Policy makers must acknowledge gender makes a difference.(US Department of Justice 2007)

What is gender ?

Gender is about the reality of women’s lives and the context in which women live.

(Covington 2001) .

Gender responsiveness

What does it mean

Gender Responsiveness

Creating an environment through site selection, staff selection, programme development ,content and material that reflects an understanding of the realities of the lives of women and girls and that responds to their strengths and challenges.

(Covington and Bloom 2006)

What are the realities of female sex offenders lives?

Multiple abuse in childhood often by caretaking figure Abuse experiences more extensive and severe than other

female offenders Previous exploitative and/or abusive relationships in

adulthood- may be ongoing History of depression prior to offending Undiagnosed PSTD and other trauma symptoms but evidence

re definable mental impairment not consistent. Poor emotional regulation Social isolation, Low self worth Limited experience of employment /training Often primary caregivers for children, may be lone parents(Gannon &Rose,2008,Fromuth &Conn

1997,Elliott,Eldridge,Ashfield 2007,Grayston &De Luca1999)

Realities of parenting styles

44% reported inability to cope with their children

60% were reported to have an inattentive or neglectful parenting style

37% had received local authority assistance

(Eldridge,Elliott Ashfield, Beech 2007)

Realities: abuse of children and other adults

Sometimes over hours, sometimes days sometimes years

Range of motivations: sexual arousal,anger,desire for power, desire to maintain relationships,money,revenge

Range of victims: male ,female, babies adolescents, adults

Sometimes alone, sometimes with others

Realities following detection

Shame- sense of doubly deviant Fear –personal and emotional safety Suspicion- legacy of previous

experiences Loss- home /children ,including

removal at birth Rejection- by professionals

Similarities with male sex offenders

Similarities in age,ethnicity,educational levels, job stresses and other life stresses. (Micco-Fonseca 2000)

Similar offence supportive cognitions regarding the nature of harm- ie abuse is not harmful (Beech et al 2008)

Differences compared with males More likely to have experienced verbal, physical

and sexual abuse from childhood (Gannon &Rose 2008)

Sexual abuse more severe and frequent than male counterparts

More likely to have previous suicide attempts (Micco –Fonseca 2000)

More likely to co-offend with another, usually male More likely to abuse in care giving situation

(Giguere & Bumby,Center for Sex Offender Management, USA 2007)

More likely to be trapped in abusive relationships through adulthood. (Lewis &Stanley 2000)

Difference compared with males :contd

More likely to have traits of severe passivity and dependency (Lewis and Stanley 2000,Gannon,Rose &Ward2009 in press)

Higher levels of low self esteem ,emotional loneliness and externalised locus of control (Beckett 2007)

Less likely to report use of alcohol or drugs around time of offence

Lower levels of emotional congruence with children (Beckett 2007)

Less global cognitions re children and sex(Gannon 2009)

Lower rates of reconviction:1.8-6%(Cortoni 2008,Sandler &Freedman 2009)

Practice Issues Arising From Work in Custody and the Community

Lack of experience, knowledge and confidence in working with female sex offenders expressed by staff

Difficulty in preparing pre sentence reports, parole/lifer reports

Assistance needed in dealing with prison behaviour, e.g. sexually inappropriate behaviour, networking

Requests for assistance in managing women unsuitable for intervention.

Challenges That Face Women In Examining Their Behaviour

Attitude Of ProfessionalsAttitude Of Parents/FamilyPersonal Sense Of Shame

Be aware of what the woman may bring to the interview

Fear Suspicion Shame Anger Emotional Distress Personal Abuse History High levels of sexual arousal

Be Aware Of What You May Bring To The Interview Your prejudices and stereotypes(Monster/victim/highly

devious/misunderstood) Your personal/professional anxieties(don’t feel confident/where’s the handbook?) Lack of awareness of ongoing issues(Failure to liaise with other disciplines) Overconfidence(Just the same as other women- downplaying

abusive behaviours of offence and risk of harm)

In order to engage effectively and therapeutically with this group, professionals need to reassess their personal belief systems and the degree to which these inform professional practice .

Ashfield et al 2010(in press)

Significance of therapeutic processing

‘Error’ in male sex offender discipline has been lack of attention to therapeutic process variables (Marshall et al 2003

Attention to such process variables hold significance for successful treatment outcomes (Levenson and Prescott 2009)

It is not what the practitioner does

but the client’s perception of the practitioner’s behaviour that determines treatment outcomes

Horvath 2000

Feedback from female sex offenders

Professionals share their lack of experience and knowledge with them

Professionals show surprize at their behaviour or always relate back to male so’s

Professionals talk ‘at them’ not to them

Professionals label everything they say as deviant or manipulative

Women feel increased sense of vulnerability and fear

Women feel ‘doubly deviant’ as a female who is also a sex offender

Professionals don’t listen Professionals fail to

recognise their need for survival mechanisms

Words/Phrases to use with Caution

MANIPULATIVE

IN DENIAL

NOT MOTIVATED

Is she or is it a survival strategy? Consider what ‘function’ her behaviour might serve.

What strategies will she need to survive if she accepts who she really is,ie a sex offender?

Are you? Does she need to start with the bits she can talk about, What's in it for her? How good is your selling technique?

Top 10 Tips for positive engagement

Confidence in the worker’s ability-saying you are my first/only doesn’t help!!!

Shared realistic goals –”an abuse free life for you and others” Important not to collude but to name abuse for what it is.

Appropriate boundaries-a ‘girls together’ approach doesn’t work neither does lack of liasion with other professionals

Shared language- “what does OK mean? Sexy thinking—” Motivational statements re hope of change-this can be a new beginning, we believe that with support you can make good choices--

Motivational Statements We believe that with support you can make

sense of how you came to be here( a convicted abuser)

We believe change is possible but recognise that at this point you may need us to believe it for you.

We know change is difficult and will take time and effort for all of us.

We believe that you can make good choices and maintain a positive,offence free life.

Positive engagement -contd

Recognition of progress- change takes time Personal disclosure –(within sensible limits) if you

are too detached you will be seen as rejecting. Recognition of survival strategies for what they

are-dissociation,avoidance,selective information sharing,denial.Some things are just too difficult at this stage-she needs to survive on a daily basis.

Collaboration rather than confrontation-remember the powerlessness associated with previous abuse.

Flexibility –responsive to needs, indicates you ‘hear’ her concerns etc.

Reading List Bunting, L. (2005). Females who sexually offend against

children: Responses of the child protection and criminal justice systems. NSPCC Policy Practice Research Series. London: NSPCC.

Covington, S. S. (2002, January). A woman’s journey home: Challenges for female offenders and their children. Working paper presented at the National Policy Conference of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Denov, M. S. (2001). A culture of denial: Exploring professional perspectives on female sex offending. Canadian Journal of Criminology, 43, 303-329.

Eldridge, H., Elliott, I. A., & Ashfield, S. (2009). Assessment of women who sexually abuse children. In M.C. Calder (Ed.), Sexual abuse assessments: Using and developing frameworks for practice (pp. 213-227). London: Russell House Publishing.

Reading list • Eldridge, H. J., & Saradjian, J. (2000). Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage.Replacing the function of abusive behaviours for the offender: Remaking relapse prevention in working with women who sexually abuse children. In D. R. Laws, S. M. Hudson, & T. Ward, (Eds), Remaking relapse prevention with sex offenders: A sourcebook (pp. 402-426).

Ford, H. (2006). Women who sexually abuse children. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

Gannon&Rose,Journal Of Aggression and Violent Behaviour 13 (2008)442-461

Giguere, R., & Bumby, K. (2007). Female sex offenders [Policy

and Practice Brief]. Center for Sex Offender Management, USA. Peter, T. (2008). Speaking about the unspeakable: Exploring the

impact of mother-daughter sexual abuse. Violence against

Women, 14, 1033-1053.

Assessment, Intervention, Training, Consultancy

Assessment materials Intervention materials Training Case consultancyReferral: To: Lucy Faithfull

FoundationTel: 0044 (0)1527 591922