This page gives details on the Thames Valley Sex Offenders' Groupwork Programme run by probation staff, in conjunction with partner agencies, for sexual abusers throughout Avon & Somerset.
Programme aims:
The overall aim of the programme is the reduction of risk in future sexual offending.
Specific goals:
To increase awareness of the way an offender's attitudes and behaviour has affected the victim and those close to the victim
To confront sex offenders' denial by encouraging them to take full and active responsibility for their sexual behaviour
To obtain a detailed analysis of the offending behaviour to assist in making an accurate assessment of risk
To teach offenders ways of interrupting their offending behaviour patterns and increase their ability to lead an abuse-free, new life
To identify and examine the perceptions and attitudes of group members towards women, children, men and sexuality, which may have contributed to their offending.
Who is suitable?
Male sexual offenders who:
Are convicted of any sexual offence including non-contact sexual offences
Are aged 21 or over
Are assessed as suitable for the programme in the Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) and Assessment for Suitability of Treatment Report
Are subject to a condition of attendance in a community sentence or post-custodial licence.
The programme involves:
Assessment by psychometric measures for deviancy and to determine which blocks of the programme need to be undertaken
Structured pre-groupwork to build on an offender's motivation to do the programme.
The four programme blocks are:
Foundation - requires full-time attendance, 9am-5pm for 2 consecutive weeks
Victim Empathy - requires twice-weekly attendance for 4 weeks
Lifeskills - requires twice-weekly attendance for 10 weeks
Relapse Prevention - requires weekly attendance for 24 weeks.
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