Therapy with Harming Fathers, Victimized Children and their Mothers after Parental Child Sexual Assault: Forging Enduring Safety

Parental child sexual assault is the most hidden and complex forms of child abuse and one of the most difficult to guard against. This is the first book to provide an evidence-based approach to working with parental child sexual assault which includes intervention with the offending father, child victim, mothers, and other non-offending parents and family members.

Building on 25 years of experience with the Cedar Cottage Program, a treatment model aimed at working therapeutically with parental child sexual offenders and victims, this book is grounded in the authors’ extensive knowledge as clinicians and researchers. Underpinned by current international research on the extent, nature and dynamics of intra-familial sexual offending and treatment outcomes, the model is fully described to enable understanding and implementation for new and experienced therapists, illustrated by extensive use of case examples drawn from clinical practice. By examining parental perpetrator tactics and behaviour in the lead up to child sexual assault, the chapters consider therapeutic approaches for child victims and families affected by parental sexual assault and aim to forge enduring safety for future potential victims.

Providing a comprehensive overview to working therapeutically, this book serves as an invaluable resource for supporting professionals in determining the best practice for long-term safety, whether the client is the child, offender or family.