Five adult males who had sexually offended against children and had previously been victims of child sex abuse (CSA) were interviewed about their experiences of completing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on memories of their CSA. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Themes identified encapsulated descriptions of changes in participants’ perspectives of their CSA that led to changes in perspectives of their offending behavior and victims, reduction in sexual preoccupation, increased desire for healthy adult relationships and reduced sexual arousal to children. Therefore EMDR could potentially contribute to the reduction of re-offending in this population.

Expanding on previous findings that eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy may alter deviant sexual arousal in adult child molesters with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), this article describes the changes reported following the application of EMDR therapy to the memories of CSA in an adult male who had sexually offended against prepubescent children. The client had previously completed a cognitive behavioral intervention to address his offending behavior. EMDR therapy took place over 11 months and consisted of 32 sessions, including preparation and review phases. The aim of the therapy was to alleviate current reported distress and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to his memories of CSA. The client reported positive changes in emotional, cognitive, and physiological functioning, consistent with reductions on a range of subscales of the Trauma Symptom Inventory 2 and the Inventory of Altered Self-Capacities. However, on completion of therapy, he also reported a reduction in the frequency and strength of sexual arousal to children, which was maintained at a 3-year follow-up, although this was not a target for treatment. The experiences described during the EMDR process by this client are discussed and related to the adaptive information processing (AIP) model and previous findings on reported changes in sexual arousal in this client group.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a novel service for the non-offending partners (NOPs) of men who have sexually offended against children.Design/methodology/approach - The paper examines the rationale for the current service and the preliminary qualitative data that reflect how NOPs experience the group innovations.Findings - Interviews and previous qualitative analyses demonstrate both the positive changes that the NOP programme supports regarding child protections skills and the value that NOPs perceive in incorporating male therapists and male offenders into the process.Research limitations/implications - Given these recent changes to the NOP group, and the small group sizes, the ability to examine how the NOPs perceive these innovations, the personal impact they have on change in NOPs, and more importantly, the impact on recidivism and reduction of further harm to children are yet to be fully investigated and these are central questions for the service to ensure that it offers a valid and reliable intervention programme and limits the extent to which the programme can be generalised. Further research will plug this gap.Practical implications - The service offers new challenges for NOPs with the aim of making them better understand offending against children, their role in protecting children, and ultimately the protection of children in general. This may act as a model for the development of future services for these individuals.Originality/value - There are few programmes aimed at providing support and intervention for an often marginalised group of individuals, the female NOPs of men who have sexually offended against children. This programme includes new approaches to working with the women providing them with new sources of support and insight.