The Pedophile: Sometimes Called The Child Molester
PEDOPHILIA
The pedophile, sometimes called the child molester,
prefers sexual activity with prepubertal children and acts out his preference
repeatedly. Society feels a special sense of horror and reserves special fury
for the child molester. Pedophilia is the most heavily punished crime of the
paraphilias. About 30 percent of all convictions for sex offenses are for child
molesting, but it is probably even more common than generally supposed.
Between one-quarter and one-third of all adults report that when they were
children they had been approached sexually by an adult (Kinsey et al., 1948;
McConaghy, 1969; McCary, 1978).
There are probably two reasons society consigns pedophiles to a special hell.
First, we do not consider a child capable
of consenting to sexual activity in the same way a mature adult can, and
so the child's freedom is seen as being grossly violated in such circumstances.
Second, there is a common belief in sexual imprinting; the child's
attitude toward future sexuality may be warped by these early sexual contacts.
In spite ofthe fact that the child molester is so despised, physical violence
probably occurs in no more than 3 percent of all cases of child molesting,
and in only about 15 percent ofall cases does threat or coercion occur. Provocation
and active participation by the victim may occur in about 10 percent
of the cases (Swanson, 1968; McCary, 1978).
The molested child is twice as likely to be a girl as a boy. Typically the pedophile
exposes himselfto the child, or he has the child sit on his lap and he
manipulates her genitals. Penetration probably occurs in only about 10 percent
of the cases of child molestation. Generally, after being molested, the
child is emotionally upset and frightened but usually less so than are her parents.
The intense reaction of parents and other adults to the incident may
even amplify the trauma ofthe molested child.
Society's image of the child molester as a dirty stranger lurking in the
shadows isfar from the truth. Most acts ofconvicted pedophiles take place
between the child and a family acquaintance, neighbor, or relative. The acts
usually occur in the child's own home or during a voluntary visit ofthe childto the home of the pedophile.
The relationship is not usually particularly intimate, nor is it prolonged: it typically ends when the child begins to protest or reports it to the parents. As with exhibitionism and voyeurism, however,
our picture of the pedophile comes from those who have been caught
and convicted, and therefore it may not accurately represent those who have
successfully evaded capture.
While some convicted molesters are mentally retarded, senile, or schizophrenic,
the vast majority are not. The convicted molester is typically older
than those in any other class of sex offenders, with the average age being
thirty-seven. The majority of those convicted are married. Older offenders
seek out younger children in the eight- to ten-year-old age range whereas
younger offenders seek out preadolescents often to twelve years old. Convicted
pedophiles are highly Victorian and rigid in their own sexual attitudes.
They generally believe in the double standard and, quite surprisingly,
are often highly religious. They see themselves as devout, they read the Bible
regularly, and they pray often for cure of their pedophilia. They are often
beset with conflicts about religious piety versus sexuality, are guilt-ridden,
and feel doomed. They are usually uneasy in adult social and sexual relations
and feel more comfortable with children than adults. Occasionally an
isolated act of pedophilia will be precipitated by a stressor, most commonly
finding out that one's wife or girlfriend has been unfaithful. In other cases,
child molesters may be substituting child contact for adult contact that they
have been unable to get (Gagnon, 1977).
The pedophile, sometimes called the child molester,
prefers sexual activity with prepubertal children and acts out his preference
repeatedly. Society feels a special sense of horror and reserves special fury
for the child molester. Pedophilia is the most heavily punished crime of the
paraphilias. About 30 percent of all convictions for sex offenses are for child
molesting, but it is probably even more common than generally supposed.
Between one-quarter and one-third of all adults report that when they were
children they had been approached sexually by an adult (Kinsey et al., 1948;
McConaghy, 1969; McCary, 1978).
There are probably two reasons society consigns pedophiles to a special hell.
First, we do not consider a child capable
of consenting to sexual activity in the same way a mature adult can, and
so the child's freedom is seen as being grossly violated in such circumstances.
Second, there is a common belief in sexual imprinting; the child's
attitude toward future sexuality may be warped by these early sexual contacts.
In spite ofthe fact that the child molester is so despised, physical violence
probably occurs in no more than 3 percent of all cases of child molesting,
and in only about 15 percent ofall cases does threat or coercion occur. Provocation
and active participation by the victim may occur in about 10 percent
of the cases (Swanson, 1968; McCary, 1978).
The molested child is twice as likely to be a girl as a boy. Typically the pedophile
exposes himselfto the child, or he has the child sit on his lap and he
manipulates her genitals. Penetration probably occurs in only about 10 percent
of the cases of child molestation. Generally, after being molested, the
child is emotionally upset and frightened but usually less so than are her parents.
The intense reaction of parents and other adults to the incident may
even amplify the trauma ofthe molested child.
Society's image of the child molester as a dirty stranger lurking in the
shadows isfar from the truth. Most acts ofconvicted pedophiles take place
between the child and a family acquaintance, neighbor, or relative. The acts
usually occur in the child's own home or during a voluntary visit ofthe childto the home of the pedophile.
The relationship is not usually particularly intimate, nor is it prolonged: it typically ends when the child begins to protest or reports it to the parents. As with exhibitionism and voyeurism, however,
our picture of the pedophile comes from those who have been caught
and convicted, and therefore it may not accurately represent those who have
successfully evaded capture.
While some convicted molesters are mentally retarded, senile, or schizophrenic,
the vast majority are not. The convicted molester is typically older
than those in any other class of sex offenders, with the average age being
thirty-seven. The majority of those convicted are married. Older offenders
seek out younger children in the eight- to ten-year-old age range whereas
younger offenders seek out preadolescents often to twelve years old. Convicted
pedophiles are highly Victorian and rigid in their own sexual attitudes.
They generally believe in the double standard and, quite surprisingly,
are often highly religious. They see themselves as devout, they read the Bible
regularly, and they pray often for cure of their pedophilia. They are often
beset with conflicts about religious piety versus sexuality, are guilt-ridden,
and feel doomed. They are usually uneasy in adult social and sexual relations
and feel more comfortable with children than adults. Occasionally an
isolated act of pedophilia will be precipitated by a stressor, most commonly
finding out that one's wife or girlfriend has been unfaithful. In other cases,
child molesters may be substituting child contact for adult contact that they
have been unable to get (Gagnon, 1977).
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