'Make sex abusers undergo therapy'

Sex offenders should face mandatory treatment, an abuse support group demanded while launching its annual report.

Charity One in Four said there was a “dearth” of facilities to help rehabilitate sex offenders, who at present voluntarily decide therapy.

But charity director Maeve Lewis said therapy must be made mandatory for offenders.

“If offender treatment programmes were available and accessible throughout the country, more people would seek help before they got into a cycle of offending.

“Most of us when we think about sexual offenders feel revulsion and incomprehension as to why it is they do what they do. Most of us desire they be punished, locked away. The harsh facts are that a prison sentence on its own does not protect children.”

Ms Lewis said international research showed with appropriate treatment, reoffending rates fell to below 2%.

Last year, One in Four was contacted for the first time by clients worried about their thoughts and behaviour, who wanted treatment. Up to 15 people went through the charity’s perpetrator assessment and treatment programme.

By Juno McEnroe

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