“Not Offending Is Easy. The Double Life, the Secrets, the Loneliness Are the Hardest Parts I Needed Help with”: Understanding the Treatment Needs of People with Attractions to Children

People with sexual attractions to children are often subject to heavy stigmatization, and several studies have started to look at how this affects their mental health. This is likely due to a conflation with offending and sexual risk within society, which translates into academic work on the topic. In this context, little is known about how the experiences of non-offending individuals with attractions to children inform their treatment needs in non-forensic contexts. We conducted anonymous semi-structured interviews with large sample of 31 non-offending adult men who are attracted to children, recruited through online forums. The results focus on two superordinate themes central to interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences, and the effects of these on both everyday functioning ("Living with a sexual interest in children"), and perceived treatment needs ("Establishing treatment targets"). These findings hold significance for the effective design and delivery of both preventative and healthcare-related support services, particularly in relation to early intervention and assisting this population in living full lives with their sexual attractions.