Director of Child and Youth Protection Center of Zagreb, Prof. Gordana Buljan Flander, PhD, participated in the presentation of the book “The treatment of sexual abusers – punishment or help?” by Slavica Marčeta held on Monday, 18 June 2018 at the City Library “Bogdan Ogrizović” in Zagreb. With her and the author, the book was promoted by the prof. Zorica Kuburić, PhD and moderator Miroslav Vukmanić.
Book should be mentioned as a valuable initiative of speak out about the importance of treatment of perpetrators of sexual crimes in Croatia. The author Slavica Marčeta in the book elaborates the legal and regulatory frameworks, types and ways of sexual abuse and provides a detailed overview of several types of therapeutic approaches and guidelines for the prevention of recurrence of the perpetrator.
Professor Gordana Buljan Flander emphasized the importance of treatment of perpetrators of sexual abuse and put forward her experiences working with offenders during specialization in the United States. Also, she presented the data of some research that shows that if offenders with prison and undergo treatment – about 7% of them again commits the offense after being released from prison. If sexual abusers only serve a sentence without treatment, with 40% -70% commits the offense again.
She stressed out that in Croatia, as well as throughout Europe, one in five child by the age of 14 years experienced some form of sexual abuse and that the perpetrators in 90% of cases were parents, very close relatives and very close friends of the family, and only 10% of the perpetrators are unknown persons.
To emphasize the importance of treatment of perpetrators, prof. Gordana Buljan Flander, PhD presented the fact that the perpetrators have on average about 50 victims. Also, regardless of the fact that the impulse disorder can not be cured, research shows that adequate treatment can put the urge of the perpetrators under control and with their treatment we also protect potential future victims of sexual abuse.
The audience showed great interest in the subject and asked a number of questions related to the possibilities for the protection of children from sexual abuse.
