Let’s think about a situation in which you already acted on your urges (use of child sexual abuse images or committing child sexual assault). If you have never committed a child sexual assault, think about a high risk situation you experienced and only work on the preparation phase.

Sexual contact does not happen suddenly, but rather in three different identifiable phases: preparation phase, acting phase and post-processing phase.

Preparation phase

The more differentiated your perceptual sensations in the preparation phase are developed, the more you can establish behavioural control mechanisms and increase your scope of action to prevent criminal behaviours. Early realization of the pre-phase extends the time frame in which you can act.

• Where were you right before the sexual abuse/risk situation?
• What did you do right before the sexual abuse/risk situation?
• What was your mood like right before the sexual abuse/risk situation?
• What did you think about right before the sexual abuse/risk situation?
• When did you start thinking or fantasizing about this sexual abuse?
• How did you choose your victim for the sexual abuse?
• How did you get closer to the victim?
• What steps have you taken in advance to prevent the detection of the sexual abuse?

Acting phase

• Where did the sexual abuse take place?
• What exactly happened during the sexual abuse?
• How did you feel during the sexual abuse?
• What did you think during the sexual abuse?

Post-processing phase

The post-processing phase can again prompt the pre-phase

• What did you do right after the sexual abuse?
• How did you feel directly after the sexual abuse?
• What did you think about after the sexual abuse?
• Did you say anything to your victim?
• Did your sexual abuse come to light? How?
• If yes, how did you feel when everything came out?
• How do you think about it now?

What is your personal time frame in which you can act in order to prevent yourself from criminal behaviours?