In the collective imagination, they are described as crazy or even monsters. However, the perpetrators of sexual violence against minors are often closer to the victims than we think. In the majority of cases, they are even related to the victim. An observation which is not reserved for Polynesia, as sociologist Lucile Hervouet points out.
« There are representations of certain backgrounds rather than others, but it is really a problem that is distributed across the population […] What we also know is that these perpetrators tend to have justifications for their actions, which are linked to culture for example, which are linked to religion, to the authority of the father, since these are in large majority of men. The important thing for us, sociologists and all the actors present, is to succeed in deconstructing these excuses and not appropriating them.. »
Because nothing can justify violence according to the law. To support the perpetrators and offer them adequate care, or prevent the act, a telephone guidance and prevention service, the STOP system, has been set up in France by the CRIAVS, the Resource Centers for those working with perpetrators of sexual violence. Professionals in the sector are already thinking about deploying this system at fenua.
« The first thing is to do a very rigorous evaluation. Because there are very different profiles. There is not one perpetrator of sexual violence. So, we are not going to treat in the same way someone who has a pedophilic disorder or someone who has committed incestuous sexual violence or someone who has committed sexual violence in the context of massive alcoholism,” explains Anne-Hélène Moncany, psychiatrist and president of the French Federation of Resource Centers for Workers with Perpetrators of Sexual Violence.
And the doctor added: “ The first thing is evaluation. From there, we will treat the problems we identify. If these are pedophilic disorders, we will do psychotherapy and possibly, there are drug treatments too. If it is linked to addictions, because we know that addictions greatly facilitate the act, we will treat it first.. »
If the profiles of perpetrators of sexual violence against minors are diverse and varied, 30% of them were themselves victims of sexual violence in their youth. And in 90% of cases, they have also suffered child abuse. Figures which are not exhaustive. The revelation of these facts is still taboo.
« Most of today's perpetrators were victims yesterday and unfortunately, they have not been recognized as such. So it's a lot of work, already, to get them to talk about their past, which can help them understand their actions. It’s also very much a personal job. The person must already accept themselves, forgive themselves. And that society gives a chance to all those people who have at some point made mistakes », Estimates Maria Taruaura, prison integration and probation advisor
People whose monitoring inside, but also outside of places of detention, can still be improved. This is also one of the objectives of these Conferences: to harmonize the actions of the different stakeholders.
