Treatment of Sexual Abusers in Belgium

Violence against women and children, be it intrafamilial or extrafamilial, is obviously a matter of major concern in Belgium. In the early 1980s, the focus of interest shifted from the victims of violence in general to the more emotionally charged sexual violence in particular. This evolution led to new penal laws on rape, pornography, and pedophilia. In the 1990s, sexual offender treatment has become acknowledged by the government as a policy priority. Several initiatives have been endorsed in order to implement the treatment of sexual abusers in prison, in psychiatric units, and in the community. In this article, some controversial issues are discussed more in depth: (a) the necessary deal therapists must make with the referring penal law authorities, (b) the role of coercion in treatment, and (c) the liability of therapists with high-risk clients.