disclosure of sexual abuse

["Niki Delson" <niki@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am wondering if anyone has research that could help with the following
decision sex offender treatment programs face

mandatory reporting laws require that when we obtain information about
unreported victims, we must disclose to the proper authorities. Most Sex
offender programs require complete disclosure of all past crimes. I am not
asking about the legal issues (self incrimination) regarding the requirement
that sex offenders disclose this information. Most programs attempt to work
that out on the local level with the prosecutor. I am wondering about the
impact of notifying victims who have not themselves reported sexual abuse.

Although the mandatory reporting laws seem to assert that it is valuable for
victims to be discovered, is there any research that supports that this
would in fact be helpful if it came from someone else? For example - if we
turned over the names of undisclosed victims to a victim's advocacy agency -
what might be the potential impact on the victim and family if they were
contacted and the abuse disclosed in this manner?

***************************************************************************
 Niki Delson at Delson-Kokish Associates, P.O. Box 476, Trinidad, CA 95570
        Clinical and Forensic Evaluations, Consultation & Training
                 (707)677-3181-voice   (707)677-0187-fax
                   niki@delko.net         www.delko.net
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