Pedophilia - Americas Undiscussed Plague

Pedophilia: Americas Undiscussed Plague

Most of us can remember our mothers telling us something like “Don’t take candy from strangers”. Being wary of strangers may be one of the most important lessons we learn as children, as new stories of child molestation hit the news every day. Pedophilia remains the leading cause of childhood trauma in America, where 1 in 4 females and 1 in 6 males will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18. And the unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Victims of childhood sexual assault are more 34% more likely to be the victim of another sexual assault before the age of 24 and twice as like to commit suicide.

Given the horrific impact childhood sexual assault has on its victims, the consequences for molesters seem almost ridiculously disproportionate. In 2012, the average jail sentence for a convicted child molester was 3 years and 8 months, with many getting out early based on good behavior. After their release, a convicted pedophile is required to register with the National Sex Offender Registry for a minimum of 20 years. During this time, there are no restrictions on where a he or she can live unless the offender is under parole or probation supervision, in which case they cannot live within 1,000 feet of a school or child care facility.

The thought of an adult having any kind of sexual relationship or thought involving a child is something that most of us cannot fathom. It is a very disturbing topic but is also one that is commonly misunderstood. Pedophilia is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child (Cloud) and is categorized as a mental disorder. It is a subclass of a condition called Paraphilia, which refers to any a condition characterized by abnormal sexual desires, typically involving extreme or dangerous activities.

There is no definitive cause for pedophilia, although there have been many studies done in order to determine the cause. At one time it was thought to be genetic, although this was disproved. Nor is it related to an individual’s education or career choices; a recent study shows that incarcerated sex offenders come from a variety of backgrounds and classes and range from s Nobel Prize winners, clergymen, teachers, Boy Scout leaders, members of Big Brothers, child psychologists, child psychiatrists, correctional officers in juvenile facilities, police officers, adult bookstore clerks, roofers, air conditioning mechanics, the unemployed, and welfare recipients just to name a few (Henry Musk). While it has no impact on their tendencies, many do seek employment that allows them to work in proximity to children.

However, there are known factors that contribute to the development of the condition. The common traits seem to be a mix of different environmental and biological factors