Malcolm Cowburn

Assessment of social work students: standpoint and strong objectivity

The aim of this paper is to consider epistemological issues relating to the assessment of social work students. It will review the development of social work education and in particular the changes that have occurred in assessing the practice of social work students in England and Wales. It explores models of practice assessment. Factors relating to maintaining professional standards, whilst taking into consideration issues of justice, are addressed. It explores the potential benefits of using a second opinion in the assessment of marginal or failing students on practice placement. Assessment is linked to how students may perform as qualified practitioners; this raises issues related both to the nature of objectivity, and standpoint in assessment.

A Man's World: Gender Issues in Working with Male Sex Offenders in Prison

The aims of this paper are to describe how prison culture affects male and female workers differently, and to consider the implications of this for work with male sex offenders in prison. This paper sets the context of work within prisons both by describing the gender make up of the staff group of the Prison Service of England and Wales and by considering the presence and influence of dominant masculinities within Prison Service establishments. It reports some findings of research which the author has undertaken, and considers the implications for work with sex offenders in prison.

The black male sex offender in prison: Images and issues

In this paper it is suggested that White constructions of Black male sexuality may prevent Black male sex offenders in prison from being offered the opportunity to attend offence-focused programmes. Additionally, it is also suggested that the full participation of Black male sex offenders in such programmes may be inhibited by the groupwork environment and the content of these programmes. It is argued that an additional strategy is needed to enable Black male sex offenders to participate in these groupwork programmes.

Disciplining, chastisement and physical child abuse: perceptions and attitudes of the British Pakistani community

There are a number of cross‐cultural differences in peoples perspectives of what constitutes physical abuse of children. The focus of the present study was to explore the British Pakistani communitys perception about physical child abuse and to understand more about the values held by them in relation to child protection. The study aimed to discover issues that are important to protect the children from harm, and to describe the possibilities these issues present. The study used a questionnaire survey that focused on 16–25‐year‐old British Pakistanis, exploring their experiences of childhood, of physical punishment and physical child abuse. The findings indicated that although serious child abuse was not experienced by most of the respondents, 75% of respondents experienced some kind of physical punishment as part of their childhood experience. However, 72% of respondents who received such punishment in childhood accepted it as an appropriate disciplining method. The future research and policy implications with prevention in mind are discussed.

Invisible men: Social reactions to male sexual coercion - bringing men and masculinities into community safety and public policy

This paper considers three social reactions to the sexual violence of men, moral panics, risk assessments and denial. The first of these responses occurs primarily in the media, risk assessments are primarily the preserve of forensic professionals. Both of these areas construct male sexual violence in such a way that ignores issues related to the gendered nature of sexual violence. This paper reviews dominant forms of knowledge in relation to sex offenders and suggests that by ignoring men and masculinities, strategies for developing community safety are flawed. The paper concludes by suggesting a wider approach to community safety that incorporates education and a critical perspective on dominant ways of being male as a key part of preventing and reducing male sexual coercion.

Principles, virtues and care: ethical dilemmas in research with male sex offenders

Abstract This paper considers ethical dilemmas associated with research with male sex offenders. It examines two particular areas in detail: dealing with the disclosure of previously undisclosed offences and managing the distress of research participants during interview. Within these areas there is discussion of ethical approaches to research. Principle-based approaches offer abstract guidelines that help to resolve certain issues, but at times they may fail to be sufficiently flexible in complex situations. Character-relationship approaches to ethics are more concerned with the practical process of research and focus on the dynamic aspects of ethical conduct in research practice. However, ethical approaches to research do not stand separate from other methodological issues. The paper considers the relationship between epistemological positions and ethical approaches and explores this through the analysis of a case study.

Hegemony and discourse: Reconstruing the male sex offender and sexual coercion by men

This paper considers issues related to hegemony and discourse and how dominant constructions of the male sex offender conceal wider issues pertaining to the hegemony of men. Initially outlining competing approaches to understanding power, the paper then seeks to link the Gramscian concept of hegemony to Foucaldian perspectives on power and language and justify the use of the term ‘‘hegemonic discourse’’. It suggests that hegemonic discourse concerning male sexual coercion is embodied in sex offender recidivism data, and classification systems concentrate attention on a small population of men who are then deemed to be deviant. A closer examination of the recidivism data studies of unconvicted men in relation to acknowledged desire to rape and sociological literature in relation to the social construction of masculinities raises questions about the effect of the hegemonic discourse in relation to understanding and responding to male acts of sexual coercion.

Safe recruitment, social justice, and ethical practice: should people who have criminal convictions be allowed to train as social workers?

Decision making in relation to admitting people to train as social workers is, either explicitly or implicitly, an ethical activity. This paper considers ethical and practical issues related to the processing of applicants to social work training in England who have criminal convictions. These issues are explored by focusing on policies that strengthen regulations that exclude ex‐offenders from working with children and vulnerable adults. The admissions processes for social work education are analysed in terms of how they contribute to, or counteract, processes of social exclusion. The advice and guidance from the General Social Care Council of England (GSCC) is summarised and analysed. A case study of a social work education partnership grounds the ethical discussion by illustrating the complexities of engaging with combating social exclusion whilst seeking to ensure that the public is protected.

Speaking about sexual abuse in British South Asian communities: offenders, victims and the challenges of shame and reintegration

Abstract Cultural dynamics have a significant impact on how sexual matters, including sexual abuse, are discussed in British South Asian communities. The ways in which these communities talk about sexual violence often reinforce patriarchal norms and values, especially those concerned with honour and shame. As a result, victims are either silenced or the blame for the sexual violence they have suffered is laid at their own feet. Addressing the fact that these problems are rooted in patriarchal norms and values is key to understanding how to tackle sexual offending effectively in such communities. Both retributive and restorative justice are necessary in responding to sex crimes; retributive approaches help to recognise victims’ suffering, while restorative approaches offer promising avenues for encouraging victims and offenders alike to speak about their experiences. Both approaches are essential components to reintegrating victims and offenders into their communities.

Pornography and Men's Practices

Abstract Summary: This article addresses the inter-relationship between pornography and sexual violence. Its particular focus is a political analysis of pornography within a context of gender politics, using concepts from feminist standpoint theory and recent theorising about men. It examines extant research concerning the effects of pornography, and critiques the predominantly positivist assumptions of such research. The article concludes with some ideas for enabling men to challenge pornography and its uses.