Joanna Dodsworth, Elliw Glyn, Jessica Palmer, Alexandra Burgess
Sexual harm prevention, through the lens of people with a sexual interest in children and non-offending partners
Workshop Abstract
Mersey Forensic Psychology Service has been delivering psychological intervention aimed at enhancing protective capacity to NOPs for over 20 years. This therapeutic work allows us to develop a unique and rich psychological insight into the lived experience of this group.
Within this workshop we aim to share this insight with attendees, with the aim of increasing awareness regarding the necessity for a trauma-informed approach to working with NOPs. We will consider the impact of child sexual abuse, as experienced through the lens of NOPs, using the narratives of our clients to illustrate this. We will outline common themes evident in the experiences of NOPs we have worked with, with reference to the existing literature in this area. In particular, we will provide case examples of the psychological processes that can underpin much of these experiences. Finally, we will discuss our reflections on how to embed trauma-informed practice in our work with this group.
Within these reflections we will give particular consideration to the challenges that can arise, on both a service-level and systemic level, in using a trauma-informed approach whilst providing an intervention that is focused on risk management.
About the Speakers
Jo Dodsworth is a Chartered Forensic Psychologist working for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Prior to her current role Jo worked within HM Prison and Probation Service for 12 years, completing psychological risk assessments and delivering psychological interventions to males posing a risk of harm to others. Jo has also worked within a secure hospital, providing psychological assessment, formulation and intervention to both male and female servicer users.
Jo currently works within a community forensic psychology service, which provides therapy aimed at reducing risk of sexual and violent reoffending. This service includes a Prevention service for adults who have not sexually offended but may be at risk of doing so, and a trauma focused therapy service delivered across Northwest prisons. Jo is also involved in delivering a psychologically-informed intervention for non-offending partners (NOPs), aimed at developing individual’s capacity to protect their children from risk of sexual harm.
Elliw Glyn is a is a Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist working for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Elliw has experience of working in the community and in secure forensic settings, including prisons and secure psychiatric services. She has experience of undertaking assessments and therapy with individuals with mental disorders, forensic histories and/or individuals who have not sexually offended but are concerned about their offence-related sexual thoughts.
Within her current role, she provides psychological therapy aimed at reducing risk of sexual and violent offending, and delivers intervention with Non-Offending Partners, aimed at developing their understanding of the risk their partner (or ex-partner) poses and improving their ability to protect their child/ren from this risk.
Dr Jessica Palmer is a Clinical Psychologist working for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust in the UK. Jessica has experience of working clinically in secure hospitals, prisons and within the community settings across a range of difficulties including psychosis, trauma and interpersonal difficulties.
She has experience of using a variety of therapeutic approaches and is particularly interested in Schematherapy. Jessica currently works within a community forensic psychology service, which provides therapy aimed at reducing risk of sexual and violent offending/re-offending and works with Non-Offending Partners. She is also part of a trauma focused therapy service across Northwest prisons.
Alexandra Burgess is a researcher with expertise in criminal justice, housing, homelessness, and systems change. She has extensive experience delivering and leading services for people with complex needs in hostel, housing, and prison settings.
Currently, Alexandra works as a researcher into the prevention of child sexual abuse with the NSPCC and is a PhD candidate at the University of Plymouth. Her doctoral research explores holistic, strengths-based approaches to sexual harm prevention, drawing on lived experience and examining the role of recovery capital through interviews with individuals with convictions or sexually harmful thoughts and behaviours.