Abstract

The downloading, possession, and production of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) is a growing offence behaviour of international scale and presents a significant risk to children online and offline. However, there are no specific assessment and treatment models developed and validated for this offender group, with existing interventions potentially failing to target key risk enhancing (and protective) variables. Based on empirical research, we developed the first case formulation model specific to CSEM users; the Model describes typical pathways to the offending behaviour, and provides systematic guidance for the assessment and treatment planning of detected CSEM users. The presentation will provide an overview of the issue of online sex offending, outline the development process of the assessment model, and discuss the implications for its use with clients in clinical/forensic practice.