Interrupting the Cycle of Sexual Violence

Prevention and Intervention for Problematic Sexual Behaviour in Youth

Abstract

Alberta’s service landscape for sexual violence intervention in relation to youth exhibiting problem sexual behaviour (PSB) is noticeably lacking. “Current theories emphasize that the origins and maintenance of childhood [PSB] include sexual abuse as well as familial, social, economic, and developmental factors" (Friedrich et al., 2001; Friedrich, Davies, Feher, & Wright, 2003). Early intervention is critical and yet there are no services for these individuals to turn to. The current service landscape essentially requires youth to formally interact with the criminal justice system before they can be redirected to the necessary settings to address their behaviours. This paper highlights the need for non-punitive and judgement-free forms of preventative measures in order to disrupt the cycle of sexual violence.