Enhancement of victim empathy along with reduction in anxiety and increase of positive cognition of sex offenders after treatment with EMDR

Treatment of sex offenders who have been themselves sexually abused in their childhood, offers a significant challenge for many therapists. The traumas related to abuse are unique to the individual offender and need to be addressed to enhance victim empathy that is so crucial in breaking the cycle of offense. Treatment of a group of sexually abused adolescent sex offenders using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) showed reduction in anxiety and increase in positive cognition. A pre- and post-treatment evaluation using the Datta Empathy Scale (DES), after an average of 3 sessions, showed a significant increase in empathy for respective victims. The DES was administered one year after the cessation of EMDR treatment and the results showed a sustaining effect of EMDR on victim empathy, anxiety and positive cognition.

Conference

English

Purna C. Datta

Datta, P. C. (1996, June). Enhancement of victim empathy along with reduction in anxiety and increase of positive cognition of sex offenders after treatment with EMDR. Presentation at the 1st EMDR International Association Conference, Denver, CO