The partnership between the Institute for Sexual Science and Sexual Medicine at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany, and the KEM Hospital Research Centre in Pune, India, focuses on treating paedophiles so as to prevent child abuse.
Problem: In India, about half of all children are survivors of one or more sorts of child abuse. Child abuse can have life-long impacts on the physical, mental, social and sexual health of survivors. One preventive measure, which has not hitherto been used in India, is to work with the individuals who risk abusing children.
Main activities: Therapists are to receive further training and to work as multipliers. Materials on paedophilia and hebephilia are to be produced and disseminated via social media to raise awareness. An online manual and an online test to use when diagnosing and treating patients are being produced in local languages.
Short-term results: Treatment and the quality of care for paedophiles is to be improved.
Long-term results: Cases of child abuse are to be prevented.