Family Lovemap, intimacies, and Sexually Related Abuse Risk Variables
| Pages | 3-17 |
| Published date | 04 February 2014 |
| Date | 04 February 2014 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-03-2013-0019 |
| Author | L.C. Miccio-Fonseca |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice |
Invited paper
Family Lovemap, intimacies, and Sexually
Related Abuse Risk Variables
L.C. Miccio-Fonseca
Dr L.C. Miccio-Fonseca is a
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
& Clinical Researcher,based at
Clinic for the Sexualities, San
Diego, California, USA.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an empirically anchored, practical clinical approach
that simultaneously considers risk factors for the individual and family, when assessing sexually abusive
individuals of all ages and genders.
Design/methodology/approach – Identified were specific, empirically based variables on sizable
validation and cross-validation samples (i.e. combined total of over 2,000 male and female youth, ages
4-19) that were directly related to risk for coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive behaviors.
Findings – Clinical considerations are offered regarding developmental domains not often considered
and/or studied when working with sexually abusive individuals of all ages and genders. That is, attention
is focussed on incorporating assessment of sexual development, erotic development, and romantic
development and interventions to decrease intimacy deficits and thus improve skills in relationships. Specific
strategies for utilizing the approach in assessment and treatment are described.
Practical implications – Overall the paper synthesizes the importance of the individual and family history
with regard to those elements related to family history, sexual abuse, and intimacy deficits. The paper
provides clinical, practice application with regard to assessment and risk variables in sexual abuse cases.
Originality/value – The manuscript introduces an original concept, the Family Lovemap with empirical
data to support its underpinnings. The overall family system is viewed as a living sexual organism with its
history that formulates the individual’s unique Family Lovemap. The family is seen as a changing and
evolving psycho-sexual system. Discussed is the impact of Family Lovemap onto the individual, providing
an avenue of consideration in assessment and treatment, specifically, with issues related to bonding,
attachment, and sexual development. On a broader scope, it offers more a “collective view”of a sexually
abusive individual when doing a risk assessment.
Keywords Risk assessment, Adolescent sex offenders, Eroticized children, Sexual abuse,
Sexual development, Sexually abusive youth
Paper type Conceptual paper
This paper further establishes Family Lovemap (Miccio-Fonseca, 2007) an empirically based,
multifaceted conceptual paradigm enveloping factors related to different aspects of the vinculum of
familial relationships (e.g. courtship, marital/cohabitation history, reproductive history, separation/
divorce, death/widowhood, sexual abuse, etc.) and which can include abuse. Family Lovemap is a
way of examining the psychological connective tissue, the intimacy aspects of people’s
relationships with one another and how those aspects connect to their family background. It is
a “map” tracing familial historical patterns from generation to generation, illustrating family
relationships, their attachments, bonding, interactions in caring about, and loving one another.
It includes hereditary predispositions or manifestations of inheritable characteristics.
According to the late world renowned sexologist, Dr John Money, the individual’s Lovemap is:
“an organized pattern, or template in the mind and brain (mind/brain) that encodes the idealized
details, either normal or pathological of one’s sexuoeroticism and sex life” (Money, 1997,
p. 310). The individual’s Lovemap is a template formulated, and/or created from the tapestry
The MEGA validation and
cross-validation research was
self-funded by the author,
with the exception of a $2,000
research grant from the California
Coalition on Sexual Offending
that was used to help fund the
statistical analysis expenditures
for the cross-validation study.
The erotic development study
was self-funded by the author.
DOI 10.1108/JFP-03-2013-0019 VOL. 16 NO. 1 2014, pp. 3-17, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794
j
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
j
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