Family and Friends Forum

Hi I don't know the legalities, but there is client confidentiality, and if the offender is trying to stop, and get help, I think it's a good and brave thing to do. They need help, not punishing in my opinion. The risk to children obviously is a completely different thing, but the individual would have to risk assessed by a professional. It's a tough one, but now I'm this side of it, no one would tell a physiatrist if they thought they were going to report them, therefore likely to carry on offending I don't know if this helps. It's just my way of thinking

Blume, hi, I was so interested in your post, as this is exactly what happened to my husband. Following a suicide attempt he was admitted to a mental health unit for 3 weeks which us where everything came out. This was jus about 11 months before police knock. The psychiatrist basically prescribed anti anxiety and anti depressant medication and told him not to tell anyone. In the end he got caught in a chat room speaking to someone who was in a fact a police officer. His solicitor has his medical records and she thought it was negligent as my husband has asked for help and got none. He'd asked for talking therapy, but the psychiatrist rubbished the whole idea. He was very condescending about it. So in hospital my husband had 2 sessions with a trainee psychologist, and that was it.

After the knock and arrest my husband went to Lucy Faithfull for help, eventually we saved enough to pay for the Inform Plus course which he completed.

I do think it's shocking. I think the problem of course is if someone admits to viewing, that is illegal, so if referred for help, they'd have to be arrested?

It's complicated and makes helping offenders before police involvement is difficult.