Date created: | Last Updated:

Category: Project

Description: In this paper, we sought to build on existing stigmatisation research by examining the extent to which internalised stigmatisation among people with sexual interests in minors may impact upon help-seeking behaviours, and perceptions of their own risk of becoming sexual abusers. We adopted a cross-sectional anonymous survey design to recruit a sample of self-identified minor attracted persons (MAPs; N = 116) from prominent online forums. Examining our data, we found that increased levels of suppression were associated with lower levels of hope about the future, but higher levels of both shame and guilt about having a sexual interest in minors. We found no differences in levels of suppression among those who had vs. had not sought support for their sexual interests. However, those who felt that they needed more support than currently received did suppress more than those who felt they were receiving adequate levels of support. Finally, suppression was associated with higher levels of active avoidance of children, which we used as a proxy measure for self-perceptions of potential child abuse risk. We explore our findings in relation to the potential effects of widespread social stigmatisation of MAPs. We close by discussing the potential implications of our data for treating and supporting MAPs within the community, and for broader attempts to implement primary prevention schemes aimed at reducing the incidence of sexual offending.