Sexual Aggression Treatment

Germaine Lawrence School is the only program in New England that provides gender-specific treatment of sexually aggressive behavior specifically for girls. We developed this program in response to a growing statewide need for female adolescent sexual aggression programs in conjunction with Robert Kinscherff, Ph. D., JD. Our program provides relationship-based and developmentally appropriate treatment with a focus on the strengths and resources inherent in each of our students.

Effective Protocols

Our first step is to complete a sexual aggression assessment in order to understand why a child hurt another child sexually and learn how we can work with her and her family so that she can return safely to the community. Our trained clinicians will interview the student, parents and others involved about the sexual aggressive incidents. They will also speak to the girl’s family, past providers and, if possible, victims or victims' parents to gather all the information possible.

Throughout treatment, we work with girls to help them understand their behaviors and take responsibility for their actions. We prepare students to make amends to the people they abused. The girls write an apology letter and whenever possible have a face-to-face meeting with their victims.

As girls move forward in their treatment, the focus shifts to helping them create a positive self-image. Girls participate in activities such as drama, poetry classes, or learning to play a musical instrument.

The final stage of our protocols prepares a student to return to her family and community. As she continues to develop her skills and revine her support system, she explores volunteer and/or employment opportunities in the community.

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Family Involvement is Key

Family involvement is crucial to the client’s success. The family is the expert on the child and we look to them to drive their daughter’s treatment and provide us with the information we need to work with their daughter.

Our clinicians will interview families several times in the beginning of treatment to gather as much information and suggestions that the family can provide. We ask families about the sexual environment at home (privacy, sexual magazines, videos, views on sexuality, etc). This knowledge is helpful in understanding the client’s influence and belief system about sexuality. Families must agree to keep the perpetrator away from any victims until the treatment team deems it safe.

Very often, when a family comes to Germaine Lawrence for treatment after their daughter has sexually abused someone, likely a younger sibling, the family is usually very distraught and often feels hopeless about rectifying such a damaging situation. Families need support and guidance in balancing their involvement in treatment with their daughter and supporting their other children, often the victims. Sexual aggression within a family can be devastating and retying the family bond is the most crucial aspect of treatment.

We offer a monthly parent support group for the families of the girls with sexual aggression. The group was initiated by three parents who discussed a clear need for both support and education around their daughter’s sexual aggression and the impact that it has had on their family.

Comprehensive Services

We incorporate trauma work, mood stabilization, social skills development, healthy sexuality and healthy relationship development for our girls within their Individual Treatment Plans. Because we know sexual aggression is a symptom of other things in the child’s life.

Our protocol for sexual aggressive behaviors is cognitive behavioral based and is focused on enabling our students to take responsibility, understand their behaviors, examine their thinking errors, develop victim empathy, develop a healthy fantasy and arousal pattern, and use a prevention plan.

Safety is the primary concern at our Addams dormitory. Upon admission the girls are prohibited from having pictures of their victims or any photos or material related to the age group of their victims. Also, students on the sexually aggressive protocol are not allowed to wear, draw or showcase any material/clothing related to children or sexual themes.

Peers in the sexual aggression protocol hold each other accountable. Once a student completes a treatment task in individual therapy, she must present her work to her sexual aggression treatment group. Peers in the treatment group offer feedback and provide suggestions to one another.

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