When I think about it, there’s always a point where I reach a wall of some sorts.
I truly think some people can’t help their attraction to minors. But what do we do with this? We can research why these people feel this way but then that might open door to some very unethical research targeted at, for example, gay people. Because if we can find inconsistencies in pedophiles who knows what we can find in other people, gay, hetero, trans etc. And then what? Do we classify it as a disorder? Disorder from what, heterosexuality? Do we accept pedophiles as a sexuality like hetero or gay or bi? Because we can’t accept them like we do with the others, we have to protect kids. Would that make it unjust?
Sure, capitalism and its focus on sexualizing things plays a role. Kids get targeted the same way women get targeted in this. As objects. But I also think the issue might dig deeper and be more complex.
For some reason I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this but I am yet to find a way to give meaningful help to these people without opening all kinds of doors we would rather like to keep closed.
Yeah maybe capitalism isn’t solely to blame for this. European colonizers used to rape children as well, I guess this behavior has been present in people for a long time.
I truly think some people can’t help their attraction to minors. But what do we do with this?
I believe the first step would be to prove that “non-offending” or even “non-re-offending” pedophiles can be safe for children. Do people seriously continue living their lives and never consume CP?
And this goes deeper than simply not consuming CP. Is attraction to minors creating hostile and uncomfortable atmosphere for minors? People are very aware of the feeling of being sexualised, and it is harmful to your ability to just, exist safely and be yourself.
Someone attracted to minors may never consume CP or assault a minor, but they can still perpetuate harm through their interactions with minors. I don’t know a single woman, for instance, who doesn’t have some story about a teacher who made them so painfully uncomfortable in class that they still remember it as an adult. And those sorts of interactions, even absent such a clear power dynamic, shapes the psyche and the self-image of the children experiencing it. It alters how they see themselves, and alters how they believe they should be treated by others. Which in turn perpetuates these dynamics of sexualisation and objectification.
they can still perpetuate harm through their interactions with minors
This is so prevalent in society that I don’t know if it’s “pedophilia” or the way sexual violence has been normalized. I find it hard to define a pedophile completely detached from predation against children, which is why I can’t see it as a “sexuality”.
As a bisexual I can interact with other adults without sexual motivations. Can a pedophile?
I’m sorry if this comment has little depth. I’m exhausted from the mere two comments I made, this type of conversation isn’t easy.
No, I absolutely understand, it’s a really difficult conversation, and one that requires an entire societal overhaul of the objectification of bodies, the understanding of sexuality, and the dynamics of consent. Unfortunately, it’s also something that I don’t see being resolved in a capitalist society, which inherently relies on bodies being reduced to objects for exploitation.
I think there are ways to address non-predatory (? I don’t think this is the right term, but I mean attraction that hasn’t been acted upon and is understood to be something to work to overcome, ie trauma responses and intrusive thoughts) but those methods require extensive social care networks that simply cannot exist under capitalism. It also requires a strict adherence to ensuring above all the protection of children from harm.
That would be a really hard thing to decide. Non-offending pedophiles exist and probably have functions in environments with children, but people that did commit sexual violence against children should never get in these positions (again).
I’ve worked in a secured housing environment for extremely vulnerable people and the amount of screening that went on before I got in there was massive. Any registered misconduct would have been noticed and probably disqualified me.
It pry doesn’t need a medical classification, only laws that protect children.
For multiple offenders, I don’t see a better way than to put them on an island penal colony. Let them have freedom of movement, and not have lives much different from anywhere else, but do not let them be around children.
IMO, it would only be acceptable if each party is fully consenting, and child molestation clearly doesn’t fit that criterion (depending on the age difference and the age of the victim; there’s obviously a big difference if it’s between a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old compared to between a 30-year-old and a 15-year old). Non-offending pedophiles (i.e. those with urges but who have never acted upon them) should receive help of some kind, but I think it should be focused on removing those urges (as much as possible) rather than accepting them
This goes beyond the individual level. It’s a problem of a capitalist society that must oversexualize everything in order to sell more.
When I think about it, there’s always a point where I reach a wall of some sorts.
I truly think some people can’t help their attraction to minors. But what do we do with this? We can research why these people feel this way but then that might open door to some very unethical research targeted at, for example, gay people. Because if we can find inconsistencies in pedophiles who knows what we can find in other people, gay, hetero, trans etc. And then what? Do we classify it as a disorder? Disorder from what, heterosexuality? Do we accept pedophiles as a sexuality like hetero or gay or bi? Because we can’t accept them like we do with the others, we have to protect kids. Would that make it unjust?
Sure, capitalism and its focus on sexualizing things plays a role. Kids get targeted the same way women get targeted in this. As objects. But I also think the issue might dig deeper and be more complex.
For some reason I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this but I am yet to find a way to give meaningful help to these people without opening all kinds of doors we would rather like to keep closed.
Yeah maybe capitalism isn’t solely to blame for this. European colonizers used to rape children as well, I guess this behavior has been present in people for a long time.
I believe the first step would be to prove that “non-offending” or even “non-re-offending” pedophiles can be safe for children. Do people seriously continue living their lives and never consume CP?
And this goes deeper than simply not consuming CP. Is attraction to minors creating hostile and uncomfortable atmosphere for minors? People are very aware of the feeling of being sexualised, and it is harmful to your ability to just, exist safely and be yourself.
Someone attracted to minors may never consume CP or assault a minor, but they can still perpetuate harm through their interactions with minors. I don’t know a single woman, for instance, who doesn’t have some story about a teacher who made them so painfully uncomfortable in class that they still remember it as an adult. And those sorts of interactions, even absent such a clear power dynamic, shapes the psyche and the self-image of the children experiencing it. It alters how they see themselves, and alters how they believe they should be treated by others. Which in turn perpetuates these dynamics of sexualisation and objectification.
This is so prevalent in society that I don’t know if it’s “pedophilia” or the way sexual violence has been normalized. I find it hard to define a pedophile completely detached from predation against children, which is why I can’t see it as a “sexuality”.
As a bisexual I can interact with other adults without sexual motivations. Can a pedophile?
I’m sorry if this comment has little depth. I’m exhausted from the mere two comments I made, this type of conversation isn’t easy.
No, I absolutely understand, it’s a really difficult conversation, and one that requires an entire societal overhaul of the objectification of bodies, the understanding of sexuality, and the dynamics of consent. Unfortunately, it’s also something that I don’t see being resolved in a capitalist society, which inherently relies on bodies being reduced to objects for exploitation.
I think there are ways to address non-predatory (? I don’t think this is the right term, but I mean attraction that hasn’t been acted upon and is understood to be something to work to overcome, ie trauma responses and intrusive thoughts) but those methods require extensive social care networks that simply cannot exist under capitalism. It also requires a strict adherence to ensuring above all the protection of children from harm.
That would be a really hard thing to decide. Non-offending pedophiles exist and probably have functions in environments with children, but people that did commit sexual violence against children should never get in these positions (again).
I’ve worked in a secured housing environment for extremely vulnerable people and the amount of screening that went on before I got in there was massive. Any registered misconduct would have been noticed and probably disqualified me.
It pry doesn’t need a medical classification, only laws that protect children.
For multiple offenders, I don’t see a better way than to put them on an island penal colony. Let them have freedom of movement, and not have lives much different from anywhere else, but do not let them be around children.
IMO, it would only be acceptable if each party is fully consenting, and child molestation clearly doesn’t fit that criterion (depending on the age difference and the age of the victim; there’s obviously a big difference if it’s between a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old compared to between a 30-year-old and a 15-year old). Non-offending pedophiles (i.e. those with urges but who have never acted upon them) should receive help of some kind, but I think it should be focused on removing those urges (as much as possible) rather than accepting them