HASP-FP - Sexual Interests and Behaviours Webinar

Join Dr. Rebecca Lievesley and Dr. Craig Harper (co-leaders of the research group) for an overview of work in this area. They will be presenting new data on the use of fictional sexual materials by people who are attracted to children in the community, with a particular emphasis on what this means for risk.

Also presenting is Prof. Belinda Winder, who will discuss work on the FASAR Trial examining the effectiveness of medication to manage problematic sexual arousal in prisons.

Talk 1: Is the use of fictional sexual material linked to risk in people who are attracted to children?

With the internet allowing consumers easy access to fantasy-related and fictional sexual materials (FSM), it is becoming increasingly important to understand the context of their use among specific populations. Of particular social, clinical, and legal interest is FSM use by people who are attracted to children, and whether this may have a risk-enhancing or protective impact on their likelihood of committing sexual crimes. In this presentation we report findings from our ongoing research programme on this topic, and outline how our emergent data map against theoretical arguments about the use of FSM by this population. Data from three large surveys of people who are attracted to children (total N > 1,200) will be presented, which appear to converge on a risk-neutral conclusion with regard to the use of various forms of FSM. In addition to outlining the future directions of work in this area, we will also discuss the legal, ethical, and social implications of our findings, and aim to facilitate a broader discussion as to the best ways in which to advance an evidence-based social debate about this increasingly important social and forensic topic.

Talk 2: The FASAR trial: Testing fluoxetine for problematic sexual arousal in prisons

In this talk, Belinda will introduce the FASAR trial, a large, multi-site study testing whether fluoxetine (an SSRI) can help reduce problematic sexual arousal. She will explain why the trial was needed, how it builds on more than 15 years of previous work and research, and the ultimate goal of the MMPSA programme.

Belinda will outline the different components of the trial, including the main randomised controlled clinical study, a process evaluation, a case study, the development of new psychometric measure, a PPI study, a qualitative study with prison staff, and additional work on adherence and acceptability. She will talk briefly about the PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) Research Panel and how their lived experience has shaped the design and delivery of the research.