How come when people talk about sexual orientation, it is accepted that "you can help who you fall for", but when talking about Pedophilia, people say "it is their fault"?
by 
Anti-Semantic - Quaerens Intellectum
ANSWERS: 7
-
Very interesting observation. The difference is -- Pedophilia always involves children. The general concept of "sexual orientation" can be addressed without bringing children in to the equation, but Pedophilia specifically and consistently targets children. In the 21st Century it has become very fashionable to play the victim card and playing the victim card in this instance might work for the Pedophiles except for the fact that they are adults and they target children. Because of that, they can't play the victim card and it IS their fault.
-
To be honest, I think that paedophiles CAN'T help being attracted to children. This maybe unpallatable to most of us, but I suspect it's true. However, what they CAN help is acting on their attraction. Children are vulnerable and in no way capable of giving informed and emotionally safe consent. This is what makes it such a terrible abuse.
-
Because there are two different things. Falling for someone of the same sex is one thing, molesting an innocent child against their will takes a very sick mind
-
Hm, interesting when you think of it, that a pedophile cannot help being attracted to pre-pubescent youths, is not their fault, put perhaps a result of ixperiences with pedophiles when younger, or they may just be attracted to pre-pubescent's and not know why. They can get professional help to fix this. Well I'll say this- it IS their fault if their fantasies transcend to sexual abuse (i.e taking revealing pictures etc..) A) it is without the other's consent, b) they are underage, cihldren; even if they consented they are not considred mature enough to understand the scope of what they're agreeing to. It is also their fault if they view or buy pictures exploiting children. So to me, THAT is when it is a pedophile's fault.
-
Awesome question! I've thought about this before also. While it is wrong to think about children in those ways, I really think they cannot help it. They probably feel horrible about it, too, at least those who have'nt acted upon it. And what can they really do to get help for it? If they go to some type of therapy will they be labelled a sexual predator right away, even though they have'nt acted upon it and don't want to feel this way? Is there even help for this, I wonder? My answer to this question is that I really don't believe you can help who you are attracted to, but I do think you can help who you "fall for". I don't think it's their fault, they cannot help it, but they CAN prevent themselves from acting upon it. Hope this helps.
-
Sexual orientation is gay, straight or bi. Pedophilia is not a sexual orientation, it is an attraction to children regardless of gender (most pedophiles are straight) and by definition children cannot give consent. "Fault" is moot, it is not something that can be acted on ethically or morally.
-
Because they listen to the AMA and APA, who have said that orientation is inborn, cannot change, and is never a "choice." Because they understand the difference between inborn orientation and sexual BEHAVIOR. Pedophiles perform the latter. One can always choose whether or not to participate in BEHAVIOR; one's attactions are something else entirely.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC