Abstract
I am honored to be appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment (SAJRT), effective January 1, 2015. James Cantor will continue to act as the outgoing Editor-in-Chief for manuscripts submitted before January 1, 2015.
I think it is helpful to review the history of the journal in thinking about its current state and looking forward. This journal began as the Annals of Sex Research, as a forum for sex research founded and edited by Ron Langevin from 1988 to 1993 (Langevin, 1988). After a 1-year hiatus in 1994, the journal’s name and focus changed with the first issue of 1995, reflecting the evolution of research and scholarship in the field of sexual abuse. As explained by the new Editor, Barry Maletzky (1995), These changes will prove to be evolutionary rather than cataclysmic and will always be influenced by the course Dr. Langevin initially set: to provide a scientific rationale for the clinical practice of assessing and treating the sexual abuser and the victims and families affected by sexual abuse. With this goal in mind, we set our sights on the 21st century. (pp. 3-4)
Judith Becker was Editor from 2000 to 2003. Reflecting the parallel growth of the journal and the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, Becker (2000) added Associate Editors, introduced new formats (clinical case reports and current issues), and recognized the importance of prevention and public health perspectives. The journal continued to grow in influence and recognition. Judith wrote, “This journal has served, and will continue to serve, as a major source of publication for the advances being made in the field” (p. 1).
Howard Barbaree was Editor from 2004 to 2009. He introduced an expectation of reporting data sufficiently to permit cumulative meta-analysis (Barbaree, 2005), and the journal entered the Internet era with a web-based manuscript submission system in 2006. Moreover, Howard introduced discussion of journal performance indicators in 2007, with annual analyses conducted with James Cantor (Barbaree, 2007; Barbaree & Cantor, 2008).
James Cantor served as an Editor from 2010 to 2014. In that time, SAJRT increased from four to six issues per year and achieved its highest impact factor score (2.42) to date. An enthusiastic practitioner of statistical analysis and advocate of technology, James introduced social media, including a lively journal blog founded by Robin Wilson and now led by Kieran McCartan, Jon Brandt, and David Prescott; a Twitter account, @SAJRT; and podcasts with authors of articles published in SAJRT (Cantor, 2012). James Cantor brought me on as an Associate Editor, for which I am very grateful.
I hope to be as effective as these Editors in continuing the tradition of excellent research and scholarship in SAJRT, with the aim of being a leading source of knowledge about the etiology, prevention, assessment, treatment, and management of sexual abuse. Historically, much of this knowledge has focused on adult and adolescent male perpetrators of sexual abuse, reflecting the state of the field. This emphasis will no doubt continue. However, it is my hope that SAJRT will also publish more work on female perpetrators of sexual abuse (featured in an upcoming special issue), children who engage in problematic sexual behaviors, and persons who are at-risk of sexual abuse. I also want to continue the trend toward greater public engagement using social media (you can reach me on Twitter @MCSeto and by email via
Reflecting this vision for SAJRT, the aims and scope of the journal have been revised. Previously, the aims and scope were as follows: Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, the official journal of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, provides a forum for the latest original research and scholarly reviews on both clinical and theoretical aspects of sexual abuse. Unlike other publications that present a mix of articles on sexual abuse and human sexuality in general, Sexual Abuse is the only one to focus exclusively on this field, thoroughly investigating its etiology, consequences, prevention, treatment, and management strategies. The in-depth studies provide essential data for those working in both clinical and academic environments, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and therapists/counselors, as well as corrections officers and allied professionals in children’s services.
The revised aims and scope are as follows: Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, the official journal of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, provides an international and multi-disciplinary forum for the latest research (quantitative or qualitative) and scholarly reviews on theoretical, clinical, and policy-relevant aspects of sexual abuse. The journal publishes rigorously peer-reviewed articles on the characteristics, etiology, life course, prevention, assessment, treatment, management, and consequences of individuals who have perpetrated sexual abuse and those who are at risk of doing so. This research provides essential evidence for those working in mental health, criminal justice, public policy, advocacy, and academic settings, including allied professionals working with those who have experienced sexual abuse.
There are several key changes to highlight here. First, the journal is intended to be both an international and multi-disciplinary forum, reflecting the increasing engagement of many nations and professionals across disciplines concerned with sexual abuse prevention and intervention. Second, the journal is no longer the sole title to focus on sexual abuse research, with sister publications such as the Journal of Sexual Aggression (the official journal of the United Kingdom’s National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers) and Sex Offender Treatment (the official journal of the International Association for the Treatment of Sex Offenders). Third, we are interested not only in research regarding persons who have committed sexual abuse but also those who are at-risk of perpetrating sexual abuse. Fourth, the journal is intended not only for clinicians and researchers but also public policy makers, advocates, and professionals working with those who have experienced sexual exploitation or abuse.
Looking back over the 27-year history of the journal, it is clear that there have been important advances in our understanding of etiological factors in sexual offending, risk assessment, and the evaluation of sex offender treatment. There is also increasing attention to the evaluation of policies such as community notification and registration, and the generalizability (or not) of our knowledge about adult male sexual offending to women, youth, and special populations (e.g., mentally disordered or intellectually disabled sex offenders, online sexual solicitation offenders). It is also clear that there are many topics that need more attention, including prevention of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse; intervention with at-risk individuals or individuals who have committed sexual abuse but who have not been criminally identified; further evaluation of sexual abuse policies and practices, nationally and internationally; sexual abuse treatment efficacy and effectiveness; inter-disciplinary perspectives looking at factors beyond the individual, including insights from criminology, sociology, economics, neuroscience, and law; and a better understanding of myriad forms of sexual exploitation, including child pornography offending, child prostitution, and human trafficking for sexual purposes. The journal remains open to all submissions pertaining to sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, but submissions on these topics are particularly welcome.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Editorial Board for their important contributions to SAJRT. In particular, I want to thank Clive Hollin, Steven Hucker, Martin Kafka, Robert Prentky, and Donald Strassberg for their years of service. I am also sorry to report the death last October of Grant Harris, an active Editorial Board member, wonderful friend, and excellent mentor. The journal would not be the success it has been without their hardwork and dedication.
I would also like to welcome the new Associate Editors, Eric Beauregard and Andrew J. Harris, who join Anthony Beech, Franca Cortoni, and James Worling. All of the Associate Editors bring distinct and complementary areas of expertise to SAJRT. I would also like to welcome our new Editorial Board members, who further the scope and depth of the journal’s expertise: Kelly Babchishin, Angela Eke, Sandy Jung, Kieran McCartan, Cynthia Calkins, Andreas Mokros, David Prescott, Jeffrey Sandler, Pekka Santtila, and Jodi Viljoen. I look forward to working with this amazing team to continue the tradition of research and scholarship represented in SAJRT and to continue contributing to the evolving policies and practices addressing sexual abuse.