The treatment process confronts perpetrators about the reality of their behavior and the impact it has had on others. Indeed, at times, offenders would prefer to endure a period of incarceration, rather than participate in treatment, because it is a difficult and painful process requiring significant changes in thinking, lifestyle, and self-image. Two cornerstones of specialized treatment are relapse prevention and victim empathy. Relapse prevention forces offenders to recognize that their offending was a choice for which they are responsible. They learn the patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that contributed to their ultimate decision to offend.
Victim empathy requires offenders to appreciate the damage they have committed.
We believe that, for many offenders, the awareness of this knowledge is an important motivation against re-offending. Finally, it is also important to offer treatment for the sake of those who have been victims. Participation in treatment, with a goal of acknowledging one's offense and taking responsibility for it, validates the victim and reinforces the fact that the responsibility for the offending behavior lies strictly with the offender. It must be remembered that treatment of sexual offenders differs from traditional psychotherapy. It is a direct and highly educational approach.