Understanding Factors Explaining Social Workers’ Empathy towards Sex Offenders

Abstract

Abstract Empathy is crucial for client interventions within the field of social work. However, extending empathy to challenging populations, especially sex offenders, poses substantial hurdles. Therefore, this study aimed to delve into factors explaining social workers’ empathy towards people who have sexually offended against adults, by exploring the role of select background (gender and length of professional experience) and personal (self-importance of moral identity: internalisation and symbolisation) characteristics. Also explored in this context were aspects related to social workers’ attitude and prior experience working with sex offenders. The research participants were Israeli social workers and they completed a structured questionnaire distributed online. Findings revealed that male social workers exhibited higher empathy than their female counterparts. Greater length of professional experience correlated with lower empathy, contrasting with higher empathy amongst those with prior experience intervening with sex offenders. Moreover, internalisation of moral identity was positively linked to empathy, whilst negative attitudes towards sex offenders were inversely associated with empathy levels. However, the self-identification of moral values (symbolisation) did not significantly explain empathy. Understanding the complexities of empathy within social work practice with sex offenders is crucial for enhancing interventions and fostering support systems for practitioners handling these emotionally and morally challenging clients.