(234) THE PARAPHILE PROJECT: AN OVERVIEW OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND THEIR OUTCOMES IN THE TARGET GROUP OF POLICE OFFICERS
Abstract
The Paraphile project is a pilot project that started in 2019 in the Czech Republic at the National Institute of Mental Health. It has established a system of early interventions for people in increased risk of sexual offending on-line and off-line, namely for individuals with paraphilic sexual preferences (and their close persons).
The project offers free and anonymous long-term psychotherapy led by trained professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, sexologists). The project also disseminates its know-how among the general and professional public.
Within the professional community, it targets police officers, social workers and health professionals who attend four-hour training course. Workshop topics include an introduction to paraphilia theory, an introduction to the system of care, the differences between deviance and delinquency, risk and protective factors for paraphilias, recidivism, and sexuality in cyberspace.
Between 2021 and 2022, 75 police officers were trained by the Parafilik project and the effectiveness of this course for this target group was evaluated.