‘SEX THERAPY UNLIKELY TO HELP’
Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein fits profile of sexual predator, say psychologists
MIAMI a string of actresses over the years — fits the profile of a sexual predator, not an addict.
“I think you can control your impulses. He decided not to do so,” said Holly Richmond, a certified sex therapist in Los Angeles.
Therapists are also divided on whether sex addiction even exists. The leading psychiatry reference, known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, updated in 2013, does not include sex addiction.
Its authors decided it did not fit the definition of a psychological disorder.
Richmond said there was no such thing as a sex addict.
“What you should say is someone who has compulsive sexuality, or out of control sexual behaviour. It is a behavioural issue. Sex is not the problem,” she said.
The entertainment site TMZ reported that Weinstein intended to fly to Switzerland for rehab, but decided to check in at The Meadows in Arizona instead.
The facility is home to what it calls the “nation’s premier inpatient treatment for sex addiction”, a 45-day programme titled “The Gentle Path”, that was attended by Tiger Woods after his cheating scandal.
It features group talk sessions, interactions with horses — coined “equine assisted psychotherapy” — yoga, art, meditation and oneon-one counselling.
When it comes to treating sex addiction, programmes are offered at hundreds of clinics across the US, costing between US$10,000 (RM42,000) and US$30,000, but experts are dubious.
“There is no evidence that sex addiction treatment actually works,” said David Ley, a psychologist in New Mexico and author of the book The Myth of Sex Addiction.
“After 40 years, there is not a single published study that shows that sex addiction treatment has a positive effect or help people change their sexual behaviour.”
Ley said sex addiction was often an excuse for avoiding personal responsibility.
“Sex addiction is a concept that has been used to explain selfish, powerful, wealthy men engaging in irresponsible sexual behaviour.”
He pointed to a study done in Europe recently that looked at people in a sex addiction treatment programme and “showed that 90 per cent of them have another major mental health condition,” and that sexual behaviours were merely symptoms.
“These problems are occurring in a society that tolerates, allows and even may encourage powerful, wealthy men to do things that they can get away with,” he said.
For counsellors who treat patients with sexual problems, Weinstein’s pattern presents a deeper puzzle.
“He definitely has traits of the compulsion, you know, sexually acting out,” said Charlene Lewis, a certified sex addiction therapist here.
“Part of addiction is denial. I think he is in a lot of denial about the damage he has done to these women.”
Lewis said any patient who wanted to heal must have the desire to change, recognise the harm their behaviour has caused, and be willing to probe the root of the problem.
She said successful sex therapy could take one to five years.
“There has to be a willingness to persevere through the process. It is not a quick fix.” AFP