Recoil In Horror

Published on 17/03/2013 09:00

‘Many of them can change, they have 
to be given a chance’

"Can paedophiles [sic] ‘get better’ and go on to live happy and healthy lives?

Most people would recoil in horror and say definitely not – but the woman in charge of rehabilitating these offenders disagrees.

Elisabeth von Rabenau, who heads up the sex offenders programme in Herts, Beds, Cambs and Peterborough, said: “I wouldn’t necessarily say in every single case but certainly a lot of them can and will if given the chance.

But she said the key is teaching these men – and also a small number of women – to be aware of their own risks and possible triggers for re-offending.

Much like drug or alcohol addicts the potential for relapse never goes away but can be controlled.

“A lot of the men would say ‘I know I would never re-offend’

“Our approach would be to say it is much better if you think of it in terms of this is something I need to manage and monitor for myself on an ongoing basis,” said Elisabeth.

“So there is a good chance that people will not re-offend again but I think people need to remain alert to their own risks and their trigger situations.

Her team – made up of three women and one man – run a series of programmes for sex offenders."

http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/community/many-of-them-can-change-they-have-to-be-given-a-chance-1-4900022