To the editor:

I am responding to Patricia Houser’s letter of April 26. As an experienced professional in the treatment of sexual addiction and sexual abuse, I find her comments to be lacking an appreciable understanding of the issues.

Houser’s assertion that “sex addicts rarely, if ever, rehabilitate,” flies in the face of countless experiences by people currently in recovery who have and continue to experience healing in their lives.

Accusing someone of sexual abuse or labeling someone as “sexually addicted” is always serious business. Doing so without just cause is just plain mean. Regardless of how one feels about Dennis Dailey, his classes in human sexuality at Kansas University do not constitute sexual abuse nor sexual addiction. While sexual abuse and addiction are driven by secrecy, misinformation and deep feelings of shame, Dailey’s approaches to human sexuality education are respectful, accurate, caring and informative. His classes foster open and honest discussions regarding the sacredness and complexity of human sexuality, qualities that are known to prevent sexual abuse and sexual addiction in the first place. The state of Kansas is well-justified in funding such a valuable program at KU.

Houser’s comments are sadly misinformed and based on erroneous assumptions regarding sexual addiction, abuse and the context of Dailey’s classes. She would do well to inform herself of these topics before attempting to speak publicly about them.

Dennis L. Detweiler,

Lawrence