Dirty Work: Addressing Moral Injury in Sex Offender Treatment Providers.

The term "dirty work" reflects employment that is distanced from mainstream society. Treating those who commit sex offenses can be a form of dirty work: sex offenders are often persona non grata and reviled by society. The treatment – inpatient and outpatient- tends to be involuntary. It can stigmatize and maligns the clinician even though the work may be required by public policy- as in conditions of probation and parole. Consequently, it can set conditions for moral injury, an overlooked occupational hazard for sex offender treatment providers. Moral injury is distinct from compassion fatigue and burnout. It is painful dissonance a person experiences when they act in ways that transgress deeply held morals and beliefs. Moral injury can be developed when sex offender treatment providers hold a punitive stance toward their clients, that is in direct conflict with professional values to have regard for and not harm their clients. Conversely, moral injury can also arise from helping a population that society tends to loathe. In this paper, we explore some pathways to moral injury and review methods to potentially prevent and mitigate moral injury in the context of sex offender treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]