A brief psychoeducational program for men who patronize prostitutes

A brief psychoeducational program was developed to treat men charged in criminal court with soliciting sex from female prostitutes. This paper outlines the major components of the program, details a demographic description of the court referred clients, and presents results from questionnaires administered as part of an initial assessment. Participants were 37 men, age 25 to 63, most of whom were Caucasian, married or in a relationship, employed and had at least a high school education. Sessions consisted of didactic presentations and group discussion. Most had solicited prostitutes one or more times prior to referral to the program. Some indicated experiencing other relational or emotional difficulties. A diverse range of attitudes towards prostitutes and prostitution were found. Against the stereotype of customers seeing nothing wrong with prostitution, many reported negative attitudes towards prostitution which may reflect internal conflicts regarding their values and behavior. Evidence of cognitive dissonance and value conflicts suggests the pursuit of prostitutes may represent a conflicted attempt to meet non-sexual needs through the purchase of sex.