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1. Personal Bias in Ethics: Child Sexual
Offenders
By: Noah Johnston
SOWK 602: Social Work Law & Ethics
January 14, 2023

2. Article: “Social work perceptions of Pedophiles:
Opening the dialogue”
The article I selected explores perceptions social workers have towards pedophiles and how personal
biases can interfere with providing quality care. Here is the fully referenced article with the link at the end of
the reference:
Montes, D. R. (2018). Social work perceptions of pedophiles: Opening the dialogue. ScholarWorks.
Retrieved January 13, 2023, from
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1751&context=etd

3. Summary of the article
This article explores the various perceptions social workers have about
pedophiles and how those biases can negatively impact offender recidivism rates. In
addition, this article also prompts social workers to understand the NASW Code of
Ethics and how refusing to work with pedophiles goes against the nature of our social
work values. According to Montes, pedophiles are one of the most stigmatized
populations in society and over 95% of helping professionals refuse to work with
pedophiles and child sexual offenders (2018). Montes contends that stigma towards
this population may interfere with their ability to seek and receive treatment, which
can negatively impact child abuse rates (2018). Montes urges all social workers to re-
evaluate the NASW standard of treating all individuals with dignity and respect to
ensure that we meet the needs of this population and provide the quality of care that
is so needed (2018).

4. Identifying the Ethical Dilemma
Through self-awareness and mindfulness, I think I would have a hard time working with child
sexual offenders. I have my own personal biases towards this population and find it hard to empathize
with pedophiles because of the nature of their behavior. It is hard for me to understand how someone
can take advantage of and exploit minors for their sexual gratification. In addition, I have extensive
family history of child sexual abuse so I think I bring in my own personal biases and negative
stereotypes because I know the physical, mental, and emotional harm child sexual abuse can have on
the victim. These personal biases have the potential to interfere with my ability to work with
pedophiles, extend empathy and compassion, and provide the type of care that they need.

5. Ethical Standards
My ethical dilemma of not feeling comfortable and capable of working with child sexual offenders falls
under NASW’s standard on discrimination and value related to the dignity and worth of a person. According
to the NASW standard 4.02 on discrimination, “Social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or
collaborate with any form of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, age…or physical ability” (National Association of Social Workers, 2022).
Pedophiles are individuals who are sexually attracted and aroused by prepubescent children and is starting
to be considered as a sexual orientation by some (Montes, 2018). Refusing or not wanting to work with
pedophiles based on their sexual orientation is grounds for discrimination on my end. Next, the NASW value
of treating all people with dignity and worth is related to my ethical dilemma. According to the NASW, the
ethical principle around this value is, “All social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the
person. Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion…and seek to enhance client’s
capacity and opportunity to change” (2022). My ethical dilemma of not wanting to work with child sexual
offenders goes against this core value and ethical principle. Aligning myself with this value will help me
view pedophiles as individuals worthy of care, attention, services, compassion, and respect. Furthermore,
recognizing that all people, including pedophiles, have the capacity and ability to change will help me
promote and honor our profession’s values and ethics when working with this population.

6. How to Address the Dilemma
As an ethical social worker, I would want to acknowledge and explore my
biases towards this population, consult and collaborate with other social work
professionals working with this population, and gain more insight and education
about this population and their needs in order to address this ethical dilemma.
Montes claims that acknowledging current perceptions is a step towards providing
stigmatized populations equal access to treatment (2018). Realizing that my negative
biases towards pedophiles may prevent them from seeking treatment is a great first
step to understanding how my bias can negatively impact child sexual abuse. Next, I
think collaborating and talking to other professionals would help me gain a better
understanding of this population and would help me address my own dilemma. For
example, one study found that experienced professionals who work with sexual
offenders are less likely to have negative attitudes and stereotypes of this population
(Sanghara & Wilson, 2006).

7. How to Address the Dilemma Cont…
Collaborating with other professionals who work with this population would be
a great way to combat the negative biases I have. Last, pursuing education and
awareness around child sexual offenders could potentially help me address my ethical
dilemma. Some research suggests that nearly 93% of pedophiles have been abused
themselves (Hall & Hall, 2007). While this statistic does not excuse the sexual
offending of minors, it does help me gain more empathy for offenders and how their
personal history of abuse may negatively impact their sexual behaviors in the future.
All three of these steps would be a great place to start to challenge my negative
biases and personal ethical dilemma when it comes to working with this population.

8. References
Hall, R. C., & Hall, R. C. (2007). A profile of pedophilia: definition, characteristics of offenders, recidivism,
treatment outcomes, and forensic issues. Mayo Clinic proceedings, 82(4), 457–471.
https://doi.org/10.4065/82.4.457
Montes, D. R. (2018). Social work perceptions of pedophiles: Opening the dialogue. ScholarWorks. Retrieved
January 13, 2023, from https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1751&context=etd
National Association of Social Workers. (2022). Read the Code of Ethics. NASW. Retrieved January 11, 2023,
from https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
Sanghara K. K., & Wilson J. (2006). Stereotypes and attitudes about child sexual abusers: A comparison of
experienced and inexperienced professionals in sex offender treatment. Legal And Criminological Psychology,
11(2), 229–244. doi: 10.1348/135532505X68818