“Do you only see her / him?“This is the question posed by the posters of the STOP., the Telephone Guidance and Prevention Service which can be reached at 0 806 23 10 63. This campaign led by the French Federation of Resource Centers for Workers working with Perpetrators of Sexual Violence (FFCRIAVS) and supported by the Secretary of State for Children and Families, was launched on January 29 across France.

Its objective: to challenge pedophiles by staging “everyday situations that speak to (them)“and encourage them to seek help before committing a pedophile act, explains the FFCRIAVS. This is why each poster specifies:”Are you sexually attracted to children? Do not go further. A healthcare professional can help“.

Differentiate pedophile and pedophile

Because it is necessary to differentiate pedophilia and pedocriminality. If pedophilia means “people who are sexually attracted to children in a lasting way“, child crime”refers to sexual violence committed against minors“specifies the FFCRIAVS in a press release dated January 25, 2021.

Pedophilia is “neither necessary nor sufficient“to explain pedocriminality, but constitutes”a risk factor for acting out“further specifies the federation. It is precisely to avoid this passage to the act that this number of listening was created.

To read also: Sexual assault: what psychological consequences on children?

The success of the German example

The idea of ​​such a confidential listening number is inspired by devices that have already proved their worth in Europe, such as in Germany where this type of listening number, called Dunkelfeld (gray area in German) has existed since 2005 and was widely covered by posters and TV spots.

This German example shows that “the people affected by the device are seeking care but this care is most often inaccessible to them“specifies the FFCRIAVS in its press release.

And these people are numerous: in 2018 alone, the Dunkelfeld recorded 10,500 telephone contacts, 3,700 evaluations and 1,780 therapy offers.

Already more than 1,000 calls in France

In France, 1,060 calls have already been recorded from the experimental phase launched in November 2019 in five regions. 336 appellants, all confidential, were heard, 25% of whom remain anonymous.

The STOP, now national, sends a welcome message to a contact person located in the department of residence provided by the caller. The telephone evaluation is then carried out by a “psychologist, psychiatrist or nurse“. A specialist who will be able to guide him, ultimately,”towards adapted care“.