Abstract
This paper reports on a descriptive, quantitative study exploring the possibility of sexual addiction in men arrested for seeking out prostitutes. The context for this preliminary research was uniquely Canadian in that each of the subjects had been arrested for the first time on the Canadian criminal charge commonly known as “communicating for the purpose of prostitution.” Contact with these subjects was possible through their participation in a one-day prostitution offender program commonly known as “john school,” designed to educate selected offenders arrested for the first time on the above-mentioned charge. A sample of 42 men recruited from three john schools agreed to anonymously complete a questionnaire designed to answer the research questions. The findings indicated that one third of the sample was possibly sexually addicted. As well, statistically significant relationships were found between possible sexual addiction and two factors: first-time prostitute visitation between ages 15 and 24; and the subject indicating that “strong sex drive” was a reason he would seek out a prostitute. The researcher relied on Citation Sexual Addiction Screening Test but concludes that a formal diagnostic test for sexual addiction is needed in DSM-V to allow greater precision in identifying and understanding such addiction. Knowledge about sexual addiction, it is argued, will assist nurses and other health practitioners to serve sexually addicted persons more effectively.
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