Mental health articles

counseling offenders handouts In a national survey, college men acknowledged carrying out forced intercourse
at a rate of 5–15% and sexual aggression at a rate of 15–25%; 84% of
those whose behavior met the legal defi nition of rape did not consider their
actions to be illegal (Koss et al., 1987). Most perpetrators can be regarded as
“hidden” off enders (Koss, Leonard, Beezley, & Oros, 1985), because few sexual
assaults are reported to campus authorities or identifi ed as assaults by the
victim or perpetrator. Perpetrators’ attitudes, beliefs, and socialization experiences
determine the context in which they sexually assault or when they
believe that sexual assault is justifi able (Berkowitz, 1992).
Most off enders do not present to counseling voluntarily and do not voluntarily
continue beyond what is required of them by legal or disciplinary
bodies. For as long as they are in counseling, it’s important to explore their
use of alcohol or other drugs (oft en co-occurring) and motivation for change.
Perpetrators may use victim blaming as a way to cope with and avoid feelings
of shame and guilt. Th erapeutic goals include taking responsibility for their
actions, disclosing their history of perpetrating violence, and recognizing the
impact of the violence on themselves, victims, and others.
For those off enders who engage in counseling beyond the initial sessions,
further therapy can help them express and experience genuine empathy,
understand and challenge traditional male gender roles, become open to a wider range of emotional self-expression, and increase awareness of their own
and others’ physical, spiritual, emotional, and sexual boundaries. Additional
interventions include increasing healthy responsiveness to physical and emotional
cues, substituting negative thoughts with positive self-talk, and creating
positive support systems that validate their change process.

Jose, a 22-year-old international graduate student from a privileged,
upper-class South American family, was advised by the university
police department and his attorney to go to the counseling center
aft er he was charged with sexually assaulting his friend, Lisa. During
the intake session, Jose spent a great deal of time recounting specifi c
details of the event, which he did not defi ne as an assault. He stated
that Lisa did not say yes but did not say no, that she willfully came to
his apartment and kissed him. When Jose tried to have sex with her,
Lisa pulled away slightly and told him that she had a boyfriend, but
he persisted. He regarded the sex as consensual, but the next day Lisa
called and told him he raped her. He stated that he saw counseling
as an “opportunity to come and talk about philosophical beliefs and
relationship issues.”

Th is case challenged the counselor to build rapport in order to eventually
confront Jose’s minimization, defensiveness, and denial of the assault. Perpetrators
like Jose can have considerable resistance to seeing themselves clearly
and honestly. If they falsely attribute their behavior to others, particularly
the victims, they will not deal with issues of control and anger that potentially
lead to additional violence. Counselors should confront the discrepancy
between off enders’ reality and external reality, pointing out legal or social
consequences of their behavior. Additionally, psychoeducation about victims’
recovery process and revictimization may push perpetrators toward increased
responsibility for their behaviors.
It is important for counselors to examine their own beliefs about off enders’
behavior, capacity for change, violence, socialization, relationships, and
confl ict. On one hand, counselors must clearly convey that there are no situations
in which sexual victimization is justifi able and that sexual assault, SH,
stalking, and IPV are wrongful acts of power and control. Yet in order to work
eff ectively with off enders, counselors must also retain empathy and avoid
being judgmental.
Some practitioners believe that counseling with perpetrators must be voluntary
rather than mandated by the university or legal system. Others accept
mandated initial assessments, but require ongoing counseling to be voluntary.
Still others argue that treatment should be provided even if it’s not voluntary,
believing that practitioners have an obligation to both the perpetrator
and potential future victims to try to help the perpetrator. “Th e perspective that advocates precluding mandatory treatment of undesirable clients simply
ensures that there will always be victims and consequently always be clients
for those who will treat only victims”.