Paper Title
Pharmacological Treatment of Sexual Offenders and its Legal and Ethical Aspects
Keywords
- Pharmacological treatment
- sexual offenders
- androgen-lowering medications
- paraphilic disorders
- relapse prevention
- legal aspects
- ethical considerations
- sexual arousability
- risk management
- public protection
Article Type
Research Article
Journal
The Wiley‐Blackwell Handbook of Legal and Ethical Aspects of Sex Offender Treatment and Management
Research Impact Tools
Publication Info
Volume: Chapter 18
Published On
February, 2013
Downloads
Abstract
This chapter talks about the pharmacological treatment of sexual offenders and its legal and ethical aspects. For more than 40 years, paraphilic patients and sexual offenders have been treated with androgen lowering medications. When discussing legal and ethical aspects of androgen lowering treatment in sexual offenders, it is important to note that it should only be used with moderate to high risk sexual offenders. The major goal of androgen lowering treatment in sexual offenders is a substantial reduction in sexual arousability and desire, in order to increase the possibility of controlling sexual thoughts, impulses, urges, and behavior. Pharmacological treatment of sexual offenders with androgen lowering agents takes place between relapse prevention and physical injury. Treatment of sexual offenders is more influenced by considerations of risk and public protection than of the wellbeing of the potential patient himself.
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