Stopping People from Sexually Abusing Children — for the First Time or Again

Stopping people from abusing children requires intervention long before harm is done — and long after someone has crossed a line.

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with StopSO, a UK charity specialising in therapeutic work with offenders and people at risk of offending, to explore how early intervention, behaviour change, and specialised therapy can protect children from sexual harm.

This conversation looks at what actually helps people stop, why punishment alone isn’t enough, and how prevention can reduce harm for children, families, and communities.

Antounette and StopSO bio

Antounette is Chair of StopSO, a charity offering specialist therapy to all those who have been impacted by child sex abuse. The main focus is the work with perpetrators, those representing a risk of sexual harm and those experiencing inappropriate thoughts and feelings.

This work is central to Antounette’s belief that to prevent sex abuse, we must work with those that are at risk, or who we wish would desist from this behaviour and to do so compassionately and non judgementally.

Under her chairship, the Charity has highlighted its commitment to provide therapy for survivors and all familiy members affected by abuse ,developed its work with other organisations, evolved new training for therapists in this specialist field, and launched a new approach to therapeutic intervention for those displaying sexual harm who are under 18. She is usually very busy!

After 32 years working in the Criminal Justice System as a Probation Officer, Antounette has a wealth of experience of ‘the system’s’ treatment of high risk offending behaviour, and the value of mainstream as well as more nuanced and pertinent approaches to the escalation of child sex abuse.

Antounette has previously specialised in work with violent offenders and mental health as well as running group work programmes for the service, writing Court reports and representing the Multi Agency Gang Unit in Birmingham. She retrained as a therapist when she was in her 40’s and feels privileged to have found a second career she feels passionate about.

Going forward Antounette has exciting plans to grow the work of the charity and to support this as best she can- with enthusiasm and a deeply held belief that therapy is a powerful but under supported process of change for individuals brave enough to take on the challenge of therapy.

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