Project Description
PRIORITY attempts to reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse by providing anonymous online treatment services to adults (i.e., men and women) who are concerned about their sexual urges involving children. A main aim of PRIORITY is to provide low-barrier intervention to those actively experiencing such urges. Therefore, as part of this project, we are also examining barriers to prevention and intervention programs for those with sexual interest in children within the European Union.
Planned Actions
The project comprises various actions, such as the cultural adaptation, implementation, and scientific evaluation of the online intervention 'Prevent It' in German, Swedish, and Portuguese. The Prevent It intervention was launched on February 15th, 2023, and is available to any adult who is concerned about their sexual urges towards children. The implementation fidelity and efficacy of Prevent It will be evaluated using a randomized control trial (RCT) with waitlist control. Diverse new access routes are currently being established to reach interested participants.
Other actions include a Delphi study for which prevention experts will be consulted. In this study, we will examine barriers to prevention and intervention programs for individuals with a sexual interest in children within member states of the European Union. This will allow us to provide country specific recommendations. Also, consultations with law enforcement from Sweden, Portugal, and Germany have been conducted as part of a Focus Group study.