ABSTRACT
This chapter explores life story themes, focusing particularly on power and relationships. It presents several profiles of individuals who sexually offend to develop understanding of the different motivations underpinning sexual abuse. Attitudes to sex and relationships are key areas of exploration in life story work with individuals at risk of sexual offending. R. K. Hanson and M. T. Bussiere found that attachment problems, particularly with mothers, were consistent with difficulties in forming stable adult relationships, and with sexual offending. M. Calder comments on how the feminist perspective has made a valuable contribution to the treatment of males who sexually offend, particularly within prison and probation service treatment programmes, where chauvinistic and sexist attitudes are routinely challenged. Notions of power have been heavily emphasized in the feminist perspective on sex offending. The Inoffensive Offender tends to view and experience the world of adults and adult relationships as hostile and threatening, so he seeks sanctuary and solace in the world of children.
