Should American Legalize Pedophilia?

We were shocked, disgusted and angered to learn that Catholic priests had been molesting youth in their congregation, and our views of the Catholic priesthood may never be the same. Since the story first hit the papers, the topic of pedophilia has been a hot potato - we know it must be discussed and dealt with, but being such a sensitive issue, nobody wants to hold it in their hands... we toss it to someone else and feel that we have done our part, however small, in dealing with it. Many people do not want to touch the issue at all - it is too hot for them, and the damage that it may cause may be irreversible. Meanwhile, the controversy behind pedophilia lives and grows. Like the monsters in a childÕs closet, if it is not dealt with, it will develop into an overbearing, snarling beast that cannot be contained. It is time for the issue to be dealt with honestly; we must understand the depth of the issue and the consequences of its development, for it is our children and grandchildren who will be affected by the social and legal decisions that are in the process of being made.

We must not fool ourselves into thinking that pedophilia is not an important issue. With the rise in priest convictions and an alarming 400,000 registered sex offenders in the United States (and this does not count the ones who have not been caught or whose political ties have kept them from prosecution!), pedophilia is a growing concern among mothers, teachers and responsible adults.

The APA (American Psychiatry Association) is debating whether they will
change the status of pedophilia from a mental illness to a sexual preference choice. This decision is monumental, as it could open the way to the legalization of pedophilia, and thus, child pornography. During its recent annual convention in May, the APA hosted a symposium discussing the removal of pedophilia, along with other categories of mental illness (collectively known as paraphilia) from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the number one authority of mental illness used by virtually every psychiatrist and psychologist across the country. The movement to destigmatize pedophilia within academia (and homosexual communities) is not a new issue: it can be traced back to Alfred Kinsey in 1948. Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America (CWA) Culture Institute, points out that Kinsey "worked to lower penalties for sex offenders and said he couldnÕt understand why children were harmed by being sexually touched by adults. He based this on a series of sex experiments of children as young as 2 months of age..." in his series of books known as the Kinsey Report.

Pro-pedophilia groups are lobbying for change. They do not feel that child/adult sex is harmful, and often see it as beneficial. Other groups, who are just as vocal, disagree. The debate has been ongoing for some time, but it is only now that it is being brought to the public eye. Many people are becoming very concerned, and they may have real reason to be, for very soon after homosexuality was removed as a mental illness from the DSM, it became widely accepted across the country and seen as normal. Will the same thing happen with pedophilia? Should it?

APA Positions

Pedophilia has been categorized as a mental illness under paraphilias, which are sexual and gender identity disorders. According to the Introductory Textbook of Psychiatry Second Edition published by the APA, "The pedophile chooses a child of the same or opposite sex as a sexual partner." Pedophilia can be categorized into five subcategories, depending on the circumstance.

Fixated (or exclusive type) pedophilia: The fixated pedophile considers himself to be trapped in childhood; he has few adult relationships and relate better with children. Fixated pedophiles are typically men who are interested in boys.
Regressed (or nonexclusive type) pedophilia: The regressed pedophile views the child as an adult substitute and relate to her as an adult. Typically, the regressed pedophile is a heterosexual male who is married, and they most often molest eight or nine year old girls.
Cross-sex pedophilia: Male pedophiles who molest young girls by befriending her and then gradually engaging in sexual activities. The activities range from folding and oral stimulation but rarely intercourse.
Same-sex pedophilia: They deny being homosexual but seek out same-sex children as they are more aroused by them than by adults.
Female pedophilia: While not commonly reported, female pedophilia is a reality. A typical scenario is a young male or female engaging in sexual activities with adult women.

Furthermore, the APA DSM-IV-TR criteria for pedophilia are:
A. Over a period of 6 months recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age 13 years or younger)
B. The person has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies caused marked distress or interpersonal difficulty;
C. The person is at least age 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children in Criterion A.

APA History

The APAÕs classification and definition of pedophilia seems to be taking a similar course as homosexuality did previously. The first version of the DSM (in 1952) classified homosexuality as a sexual sociopathic personality disorder and a sexual deviation. In the second version, DSM II, homosexuality was considered a sexual orientation disorder only for those who were disturbed by their orientation or wanted to change it. Thus, it was no longer considered to be a psychiatric disorder in itself. The DSM III came in 1973, and homosexuality was not considered a sexual orientation disturbance and was only considered a problem when it was causing stress for the individual. The DSM III-R and DSM IV make no mention of homosexuality at all.

Pedophilia was classified by the DSM I and DSM II as a sexual deviation, much like homosexuality was first classified. The DSM III changed pedophilia to be a paraphilia (an ab-errant sexual fantasy or be-havior), which is less "serious" than a sexual deviation. The DSM IV further reduces the condition by adding that it is to be considered a paraphilia when the behavior causes distress or impairment in functioning, or in other words, it is a disorder only when the pedophile considers it to be a disorder. The next logical step is to abolish it from the DSM entirely, as was done with homosexuality.

During the APA convention in May, Several APA presenters proposed removing pedophilia (adult sex with children), exhibitionism (exposing self to others), and voyeurism (window peeping) from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM Ð the bible of the mental health field Ð tells psychiatrists, judges, juries and the rest of the world what is or is not abnormal human behavior, and what to criminally "punish" versus what to therapeutically "treat."

Academic Perspectives

Universities have historically been the forefront of social change. It seems that the days of student protests have vanished, but the scholars in the academia continue with their pursuit of intellectual and scientific study. Pedophilia is among the topics that a growing number of scholars wish to change.

A study was published on child sexual abuse in the prestigious journal Psychological Bulletin in 1998 called "A Meta-Analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples" (in normal english: a study of college students who had been sexually abused as children). This study concluded that "negative effects (of child abuse) were neither pervasive nor typically intense, and that men reacted much less negatively than women". The authors of the study, Bruce Rind, Philip Tromovitch and Robert Bauserman, also assert that adult-child sex should not be indiscriminately termed "child sexual abuse" and that a willing encounter of sex between adults and children that yielded positive reactions be labeled simply adult-child sex.

While this study was heavily criticized, it set a stage of legimitacy for those who would de-stigmatize and legalize pedophilia. In 1999, the University of Minnesota Press published Harmful to Minors, a book by Judith Levine that included a forward by former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders (who was asked to resign by former President Clinton after she endorsed making masturbation part of the public school system). In the book, Levine states that pedophiles are "myths" and that it is the federal government's fault for making pedophilia illegal.

Other scholars are slowly "coming out" to show support for legalizing pedophilia and removing it from the DSM. Linda Nicolosi of the National Association for Research and Therapy for Homosexuality is one of them. "As society changes, the definition of mental illness is likely to change along with it. Therefore, as our society comes increasingly to value sexual liberation and children's autonomy, pressure increases on the psychiatric establishment to stop pathologizing things like childhood sexual expression, gender variance and homosexuality," she argues. "Psychiatry cannot tell the layman that homosexuality, or pedophilia, or sado-masochistic sex are 'healthy' because science has no concept of 'healthy sex' that is not values-laden."

It is irrefutable that the APA and the DSM classifications are as authoritative to the psychiatrist in the same way the Bible is to the devout Christian. Once the APA begins to change their attitude toward a condition, academic research and thought quickly follows suit. Once academics and scholars show support for a change and begin to publish studies and articles in respected magazines, changes in perceptions of society at large are not far behind, and changes in the law also follow.

Pro-Pedophile Groups

There are many organized groups who are determined to change views of pedophilia, both in the law and society. Time magazine announced in 1981 that arguments for pro-pedophilia are becoming popular among sexual counselors, and representatives of the gay movement are adamant in their pro-pedophile views. Harris Mirkin associates the battle for the legalization of pedophilia with the battles for womensÕ rights, homosexual rights, and the civil rights of Blacks in his article "The Pattern of Sexual Politics: Feminism, Homosexuality and Pedophilia" published in the Journal of Homosexuality. The examples are many.

NAMBLA

The North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) is one organized group who is strongly vocal about the legalization and de-criminalization of pedophilia. Director David Thorstad claims, "Pederasty, like homosexuality, has existed, and exists, in all societies that have ever been studied. Homoeroticism is an ubiquitous feature of human experience, as even efforts to repress it confirm. Men and youths have always been attracted to each other, and, like homosexuality in general, their love is irrepressible."

The mission statement of NAMBLA states: The North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) was formed in 1978. It was inspired by the success of a campaign based in Boston's gay community to defend against a local witchhunt.

NAMBLA's goal is to end the extreme oppression of men and boys in mutually consensual relationships by:
1. building understanding and support for such relationships;
2.educating the general public on the benevolent nature of man/boy love;
3.cooperating with lesbian, gay, feminist, and other liberation movements;
4.supporting the liberation of persons of all ages from sexual prejudice and oppression.

NAMBLA is often a frontrunner in pro-pedophilia events and debates. Perhaps director David Thorstad sums up NAMBLA best in his forward to the book Boys Speak Out, one of many publications published and endorsed by the organization:

NAMBLA is working to change public perceptions and laws about consensual sexual relationships between adults and minors...NAMBLA believes that any child, regardless of age, should have the right to say "yes" or "no" to any person.,,,No child is harmed by any consensual sexual experience, but children are harmed by society's condemnation and persecution of their bodily pleasures.

NAMBLA believes that children need more than just sexual freedom, but it also recognizes that the denial of sexual pleasure can inflict severe and lasting pain. It is not the proper role of the state to attempt to enforce private personal morality, nor to "protect" children from themselves by denying them exposure to homoerotic or other sexual pleasure...

There are other organizations like NAMBLA, such as a women/lesbian version of the group, that have formed for similar purposes. These groups insist that sex between adults and children not only does not cause harm, but is beneficial. They contend that in a heterosexual world, a homosexual child often looks to older people for comfort, learning and sexual expression as they often cannot find it within their own generation. Adult-child sex (pedophilia), then, is a natural expression and love relationship that has the child's best interests at heart.

Pedophilia in the Church

Some respected Catholic priests are finding themselves in jail for the sexual abuse that they forced on minors some ten years ago. A priest from Hamilton, New Jersey, Reverand John M. Banko, was one of the first Catholic priests to be convicted of sexual assault and was sentenced to 18 years in prison for molesting an 11-year-old altar boy in a church nearly 10 years ago. Banko allegedly performed oral sex on the boy and then had the boy touch him. Retired pastor Rev. Daniel McBride pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution with a 17-year-old boy whom he took from Cleveland to his condominium in New York to engage in sex for hire and was sentenced to three years probation. According to records, in exchange for sex, McBride gave the boy $120 and a music compact disc. These examples are but a few of the atrocities that have been shared with the public recently.

Sexual abuse within the church is, however, not a new phenenomon, and it appears that it has been happening for quite some time. According to records obtained by the Boston Herald, documents show that former priest James Porter of Massachusetts turned to Pope Paul VI in 1973 and confessed to sexually molesting children. Documents prove that church officials knew of Porters sexual abuses as far back as the 1960s. In a 17 page letter written to the Pope that was kept in his file, Porter asked to be removed from the priesthood. The Pope did nothing. Porter has admitted to molesting at least 50 children while he was a priest in the 1960's. He pleaded guilty to molesting 28 children in 1993 after victims formed a group in 1992 and detailed the abuse against them.

Just how common is pedophilia among priests? It has been estimated between 5-10%! Support groups for victims of priest sexual abuse have formed in almost every state.

The Catholic hierarchy has spared no expense in trying to cover up pedophilia among the church. In 2002, the Roman Catholic religious orders that include a third of the nation's priests will not expel sexual predators from their ranks. In fact, in 2001 the Vatican changed its pedophilia policy and published in internal documents that all pedophilia cases are under secrecy and are to be dealt with through the Vatican.

The Great Debate:Is Adult-Child Sex Harmful?

No, it isnÕt, at least according to NA-MBLA and other groups. NAMBLAÕs website cites a German study of 800 victims of sex offenses, and it concludes that "None of the boys experienced force or coercion, and no negative outcomes were observed for any of the boys." Linda Nicoloski (National Association for Re-search and Therapy for Homosexuality) argues that "The danger arises when the public gives psychiatry too much power."

Pedophile advocate groups encourage the behavior and see it as the sexual liberation of children. The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, held annually in Michigan, is one such event in which pedophilia is encouraged among the lesbian women present. The festival is held on private property, and over eight thousand women attend, along with their children. This festival is known to be a place of open sex, ejaculation contests, and inter-generational opportunities. "Some of them believe that a girl of 12 is the age to have consensual sex with a 40-year-old," Denise Caster, spokeswoman for the International Organization of Heterosexual Rights, Inc. said about the patrons of the festival. The festival gives young girls a chance to have a "coming-of-age" adult-child sexual encounter. Pedophile promoters feel that children are being oppressed by adults, who have taken away their right to express their sexuality, and by providing a safe place for the activities to take place, they are helping liberate children from the bondage of sexual inhibition forced on them by society.

Not only is adult-child sex not harmful to the children, it is bene-ficial and educational. An article published in 2000 by the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco called "Sexual Rights of Children," states that there is "considerable evidence" that there is "no inherent harm in sexual expression in childhood." Children are, in their point of view, victim of society's inhibitions and hang ups and are being forced into repressing their natural sexual desires. Therefore, the pro-pedophile adults actively seek out relationships with children and feel that it is of benefit to both parties. The lesbian pro-pedophilia website "Butterfly Kisses" includes links to Big Sisters and Girl Scout websites, suggesting that these places present good opportunities for finding a young girlfriend. Message boards of the website often include topics relating to pedophilia: "Jean" , a swimming instructor, posted a message on September 16, 2001, that said "I have always been attracted to little girls (8-10 yr olds)." and proceeded to ask for advice on "making little girlfriends" . A quick response was given to her by another member, "Poppy", who said: "You already have a convenient access to little girls as a swimming coach. Try showing them that you care about them more than your job asks you, i.e., help them with their daily programs, get to know them and become close with the girls who admire you." Poppy also suggested that Jean offer to give the girls a course in kissing!

Adult-child sex is extremely harmful

The majority of society feels very strongly that pedophilia is very harmful to the children who become victims. Pedophiles rationalize and make excuses for their behavior by saying that the occurances were educational or that the child received pleasure, they say, but the reality is that a child is not able to perceive the consequences of effects of such a relationship.

Victims of sexual molestation are often threatened to ensure secrecy, The APSAC Hand-book on Child Maltreatment says, "Research conducted over the past decade indicates that a wide range of psychological and inter-personal problems are more prevalent among those who have been sexually abused than among individuals with no such experiences." This handbook attributes the harm inflicted on the child to a number of factors: the abuse is confusing, frightening and painful; sex between children and adults, by its very nature, is nonconsentual, and thus interferes with normal development; threats and coercion are often a part of the experience and the child is made to feel like it is their fault.

The long-term affects of pedophilia and other molestation cases are extensive. Women are more likely to be traumatized more than men. Effects of child-hood sexual abuse include, but are not limited to, the following:

Emotional Distress: Depression and low self-esteem are the most com-monly reported symptoms, and sexual abuse victims can be four times likely to become majorly depressed than the general population. Children withdraw themselves and feel rejected. Some children become suicidal and have difficulty forming trusting relation-ships. In one study, 16% of survivors of child sexual abuse had attempted suicide, verses 6% of the non-abused control group.
Anxiety: a sexually abused child is up to six times more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder than the general population.
Anger: Once the child reaches adulthood, chronic irritabily and episodes of anger and rage are often reported, which sometimes turns into abuse of others.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) : a disorder that covers individuals experiencing extreme emotional reactions to traumatic events. This is a common diagnosis for people who were abused as children, and occurs in as many as 36% of adult survivors! When the abuse included penetration, the risk for PTSD increases to 66% of victims.
Substance Abuse: Those who were abused sexually as children often turn to alcohol or drugs to numb their emotional pain. As many as 80% of hospitalized substance abuse patients have a history of sexual abuse as children.
Promiscuity: Anxiety that is a result of childhood sexual abuse is sometimes dealt with by compulsive or addictive behaviors. Repressed abuse may manifest in out of control sexual behavior as a result.

Furthermore, Dr. David Finkelhor, a leading US researcher in child sexual abuse describes some of the consequences of childhood seduction: confusion about sexual identity and sexual norms; inability to differentiate sex from love; confusion between care-getting and care-giving; lower respect for adult authority; guilt, shame, anxiety, low self-esteem, and impaired ability to judge the trustworthiness of others; age-inappropriate sexual knowledge; sex acts compulsively reenacted with other children.

Opponents of pedophilia insist that a child is never able to give real consent to sexual relationships with adults, as they lack the knowledge and intellectual processes necessary to make an informed decisions. They are ignorant about sex and sexual relationships and are unaware of the social meanings of sexuality. Their bodies are often not ready for such activities. They just cannot assess consequences it will have for them in the future.

Laurie Pearlman, a psychologist at the Traumatic Stress Institute in South Windsor, said such abuse is not only "a betrayal by a parent figure." She says that the long-term effects never go away."To be used as an object to satisfy someone else's need is a profound violation of the self," said Pearlman. "It's not an act that is over and done with. It will color all of a child's relationships."

Other Cultures

Pedophilia advocates claim that adult-child sex is seen as normal and natural in many other cultures around the world and thus it is a natural occurance and should not be seen as a sexual perversion. They claim that, in countries like Africa, it is normal for a much older man to have sexual relations with a much younger female, and that it is desirable and normal. Is this arguement valid? While supporters claim that it is, others see the situation differently.

Here, if an adult has sex with a child it is for the purpose of sexual gratification and pleasure. Pedophiles admit to being sexually attracted to very young children, many of which are still pre-pubescent and not physically ready for sex of any kind. Still, they claim that the children enjoy the sex and even go so far as to say that kids are often the ones to initiate a sexual realtionship by flirting with them. In other cultures where sex is not constantly forced upon people by media and peer pressure, people have sex for different reasons.

Most traditional cultures in which one will see a large age difference between the man and the women do not see sex as an activity done primarily for pleasure. For example, in traditional Africa, a man may be 15, 20, sometimes 40 years older than his wife. Sometimes a man even marries a woman before she has reached puberty. A man absolutely does not have sex with a girl until she has reached puberty and finished her initiation, and then it is only in the context of marriage. The difference is this: the reason for the partnership is for the production of children rather than satisfying sexual fantasies or perversions. People in traditional societies have sex not as a goal in and of itself, but to produce children. Thus, a wife that is much younger than the man is desirable because she is able to have children, which are the foundation of the traditional society.

In traditional Africa, sex is not known or practiced among children or adolescents. In fact, it is common to have to teach a newly married couple how to make love! While sex may be natural desire, it is not an instinctive act. Perhaps it is the oversexed nature of todays society (sex is everywhere: television, advertisements, music videos, song lyrics....) that makes it seem like children are inherently sexual. In reality, children are children, and sex is not a part of a child's reality.

The concern that a child is being taken advantage of is solved in traditional societies as well, as the family is very involved in all relationships. In these societies, one does not become involved with a male or a female individually - one becomes involved with an entire famliy. The societies are very protective of children and adults alike, and there is simply no room for manipulation or exploitation. Families are very secure, and there is no need for a child to look toward other adults for affection, love or attention.

There are always parents, older siblings, aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers, great-aunts, great-uncles, etc., who are available for any emotional or physical need. Here, on the other hand, a child or even an adult can be involved in a relationship without the knowledge of those around them and thus are easily taken advantage of, and with the demise of the family, kids are often left looking for support and role models outside of the family, leaving them vulnerable.

Pro-pedophilia groups are extremely vocal in their views and are not afraid to stand up for what they believe is just. We cannot be afraid to stand up for our views either. While it may seem that legislation affecting pedophilia is far from us, it is not. Every time we open our email box to find hoards of spam for porn sites or sex products, we must remember that our children are likely receiving the same messages. As approval for pedophilia increases, child pornography, internet predators and other hazards will increase as well.

It is our children's future that is at risk.

Alan Walker, now age 48, suffered sexual abuse throughout his childhood, beginning when he was in preschool. He is scarred and broken now and continues to suffer from the abuse that pedophiles forced on him at such a tender age. Alan sends a clear message to all pedophiles:

What are you doing to me?
You donÕt love me!
Can you not see that you are
passing on the confusion that is
in your mind to my mind?
Please stop it now before it is too late!
You are NOT loving me -
you are sexually abusing me.
I donÕt want to become like you.
You have no right! If you really love me,
stop having sex with me -
IÕm just a child!