In the canton of Zurich, people with a pedophile inclination can use a counseling service free of charge and anonymously. The SVP health director Natalie Rickli draws a first, positive balance.
This poster motif of the “Don’t become a perpetrator” campaign will soon be seen on Zurich’s trams and buses.
It’s midsummer. A family enjoys the lake. The idyll captured on film seems to be perfect. But the young father looks thoughtfully into the camera. “Do you love children more than you would like?” the caption reads. And: “There is help, anonymous and free of charge.”
The TV spot is part of the recently launched Campaign of the association “Don’t become a perpetrator”. It is aimed at people with pedophilic tendencies who suffer from it but do not want to come out. They are to be made aware of a new type of counseling and therapy offer throughout Switzerland: the prevention center for pedosexuality was opened at the Psychiatric University Clinic in Zurich (PUK) a year ago.
“Pedophilia is destiny, not choice”
A first conclusion is positive. On average, contact is made once a week, as SVP Health Director Natalie Rickli told the media on Tuesday. “We can certainly speak of a positive start based on the impressive feedback from those affected.” The offer not only helps those affected and their relatives, but society as a whole.
Pedophilic tendencies are characterized by recurring intensely sexually arousing fantasies and behaviors involving sexual activity with children. The probability of sexual trauma in childhood is high across Europe. Almost 14 percent of girls and almost 6 percent of boys report such experiences when they were of legal age.
Fanny de Tribolet heads the new prevention center. She says: “Only a few attacks are reported. From this we conclude that a very large proportion of traumatisation takes place in the dark field and is associated with correspondingly great suffering.» High consequential costs are to be expected. Contrary to what is commonly assumed, the majority of offenders of abuse offenses are not pedophiles, but commit the acts in the context of substitute acts. Such can be related to other mental disorders.
Pedophilia usually manifests itself in adolescence. “It is fate and not choice,” said the head of the prevention center. “We make no prejudice. But we do expect you to take responsibility for your own sexual preference. We want to strengthen behavioral control by minimizing stress and consumption of abusive imagery.”
Experts assume that about one percent of the male population has a pedophile tendency. In about 5 to 7 percent, children’s bodies can arouse sexual fantasies. Converted to the canton of Zurich, 15,000 people with pedophilic inclinations live here. 50 of them have so far reported to the new prevention center. They are on average 38 years old. 96 percent are male, 4 percent female. A third lives in other cantons. 60 percent of those seeking advice appeared for an initial interview. Most were ready for further clarification.
Anonymity is a criterion for success
Government Councilor Natalie Rickli was already committed to child protection as National Councilor. Together with the SP Council of States and criminal law professor Daniel Jositsch, she called on the Federal Council in 2016 not only to punish perpetrators more severely, but also to clarify whether sexual assaults on children can be prevented with preventive measures. The trigger was the experience of the association “Don’t become a perpetrator” active in Germany – a similar body has now been formed in Switzerland.
The Federal Council confirmed the effectiveness of prevention centers and commissioned the cantons to create them in 2020. In her new role as Director of Health, Rickli was able to take on this task herself and defined a performance mandate for the PUK. The government council has spoken for the three-year limited offer around one million Swiss francs.
The tasks of the new specialist department include the provision of low-threshold information via e-mail, a telephone helpline and an internet presence, but also diagnostics and risk assessment, advice and information as well as treatment and therapy offers including drug treatment. Public relations is an important pillar. Central is the site. It has already been visited 26,000 times.
The advice is free of charge for residents of the canton of Zurich. “We consider anonymity to be a criterion for success,” said Rickli. Most of those seeking advice made contact anonymously, but then waived anonymity in the initial interview. The offer is primarily aimed at adults and young people with pedophilic tendencies and not at those in criminal proceedings. Relatives can also turn to the counseling center. Ten have taken advantage of the offer so far.
Relationship deficits and sex-addicted behavior
According to the head of the department, Fanny de Tribolet, pedophilia does not necessarily lead to sexual delinquency. She describes this as a “multifactorial event”. The prevention center focuses on the “dynamic factors”. The treatment focuses on dealing with crises and with addictive substances such as alcohol. Relationship deficits also played an important role. “People with pedophilic disorders often struggle to connect with adults and thus build a stable social environment,” said de Tribolet.
One of the unchangeable factors is sexual preference. And victimization, that is, having been the victim of an attack yourself in the past. A way to deal with it can be found, said de Tribolet. Some people seeking advice have known for a long time that they have a pedophile tendency. They often described depressive symptoms and isolation and expressed a desire for exchange and support. Others came forward under pressure from relatives.
Another reason for contact was the consumption of illegal pornography and the inability to avoid it. Sex addictive behavior has also been reported. De Tribolet spoke of a psychologically very stressed group of patients. 80 percent suffer from another mental illness.