Prof Glynis Murphy presented her paper to a packed session at the NAS Conference yesterday; based on her research on men with autism and harmful sexual behaviour. Prof Murphy argued that such behaviour is rare amongst men with autism but is understandable and treatable. She presented data from the long-running SOTSEC-ID trial in which men with harmful sexual behaviour are offered one year of weekly group CBT. Of over 100 men with learning disabilities and/or autism, 20% of the men have autism. She argued that such men need support and treatment and not incarceration.
Professor Murphy is currently involved in two related projects:
1. SOTSEC_ID ; a collaborative group of professionals engaged in providing group treatment to men with intellectual disabilities who are at risk of sexual offending.
2. OFFSCA_ID; Offenders & Social Care- Intellectual Disabilities is a research project looking at the cost and benefits of social care, and its effectiveness in preventing people with intellectual disabilities from re-offending.