Understanding forensic nursing staff attitudes towards men who have committed sexual offences: a narrative intervention

Abstract

The label ‘sex offender’ has assumed a distinctive place in contemporary vocabulary.1 The label carries its own assumptions and beliefs, which promote and reinforce negative attitudes. Regardless of whether one commits an offence or not, a label such as ‘paedophile’ holds connotations that one would associate with committing a sexual crime.2 Surveys of the general public conclude that sex offenders are at high risk of recidivism;3 despite official figures demonstrating that those who commit sexual offences are one of the lowest recidivist offender populations.4 Forensic nursing staff have been found to have more positive attitudes that are less stereotyped.5 However, it should be considered when one’s attitude improves in the context of length of time in employment. It is important to support newly appointed staff to begin to challenge their own attitudes. In practice, it would seem that the label of ‘sex offender’ invites people to react emotively and reinforces pre-conceived attitudes and beliefs about the potential risk presented by this type of offender. It compromises our capacity to make accurate, evidence-based conclusions regarding suitably proportionate risk management. In the context of narrative therapy, 6 this would suggest that we privilege ‘thin’ narrative descriptions regarding those who commit sexual offences.