Abstracts

Tilmann Wagner, Sara Jahnke, Klaus M. Beier, Jürgen Hoyer, and Gerold Scherner. Disclosing Pedophilic Preferences: Stigma Management amongst Patients from the Berlin Prevention Project Dunkelfeld. („Pädophile Neigungen offenbaren: StigmaManagement bei Patienten aus dem Berliner Präventionsprojekt Dunkelfeld“). Zeitschrift für Sexualforschung 2016; 2: 106–130

Given the stigma attached to pedophilia, people with such sexual interests regularly face the decision as to whether to disclose or conceal these interests, which may have severe consequences for their social life and self-concept. Although types of stigma management have been researched intensively amongst other stigmatized groups, no previous scientific research efforts have been directed at examining experiences of this type amongst people with pedophilia. In order to identify typical strategies and their consequences the present study analysed initial clinical interviews with 186 patients from the Berlin prevention project Dunkelfeld (PPD) by means of typifying structuration. Forty-eight percent of patients had disclosed their pedophilic preference to another person (direct disclosure), among 37 % pedophilic preferences had been discovered involuntarily (indirect disclosure) and 15 % of patients had never talked about their pedophilic preference before (nondisclosure). Results indicate that direct disclosure represents the most favourable advantages to disadvantages ratio. The findings are discussed with respect to risk of child sexual abuse and implications for therapeutic strategies.

Key words: child sexual abuse; stigma; stigma management; pedophilia; prevention