ANSWERS: 35
  • There are some things that just cannot be answered simply, this is one of those questions. As for the why, it is hard for anybody to accept that there is a reason for somebody molesting a child other than they're sick. Really sick. Understanding the types of offenders should answer your questions though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_molester (very detailed article) Offenders Most offenders are situational offenders (pseudopedophiles) rather than pedophiles. They are rarely strangers, but relatives or acquaintances like trainers or playmates. Typology Exhibitionists are commonly excluded in classifications of offenders in child sexual abuse as a phenomenon of its own. There are two main categories of offenders. These categories are known as the "regressed" offender and the "fixated" offender. The regressed offender has a primary sexual orientation toward adults, but can be aroused by children. In most cases he is heterosexual. The sexual interest in children typically manifests itself in adulthood in this sort of offender. "Due to an inability to maintain adult relationships the offender substitutes a child for an adult sexual partner". The intial offense is often not planned and often alcohol related. The regressed pedophile is typically capable of a traditional life-style and often married. Social skills of the regressed offender are basically normal but with under developed peer relationships. The regressed offender typically has no problem making aquaintances or socializing with others, but is not capable of handling the responsibility of long-term relationships. This behavior is a maladaptive attempt to cope with specific life stresses. The fixated offender has a primary sexual orientation toward children, i. e. he is a pedophile. The sexual interest in children manifests itself in adolescence for this offender. The offenses are typically planned out ahead of time and are not alcohol or drug related. The fixated pedophile has behavior that is characterized as a lack of maturity and this offender has difficulty with adult sexual and social relationships. "This offender identifies with children, in other words considers him or herself to be like a child and thus seeks sexual relationships with what the offender percieves to be other children". The fixated offender is often interested in the same activities and interests as the young children who are the offender's victims. Such offenders often collect articles related to small children (clothing, children's books), even if they do not have children. This behavior has been interpreted as a maladaptive resolution to issues with adult maturity. Most fixated offenders prefer members of the same sex. The great majority of offenders are regressed. Only 2-10 Percent of all offenders are fixated. The third and very rare type of offender is sadistic. He primarily uses sexuality for supression not for sexual satisfaction. "Children who molest" Some therapists noticed that many adult sex offenders showed what they considered deviant sexual behaviour in their childhood already. So they promoted early treatment of deviant minors as a preventive measure. However there is still little known about normal as opposed to deviant child sexuality. It is also unknown whether so called deviant minors have a higher risk of becoming an adult sex offender than anybody else. Despite the lack of scientific knowledge the US started to focus on "juvenile sex offenders" or even children for therapy or detention perhaps in the early 1990s. The label "juvenile sex offender" is controversial because it is not only used to describe acts of violence, but also consensual acts that violate statutory rape laws. Similarly, many if not most "children who molest" are viewed by critics of this trend as simply sexually experimenting. As opposed to the criteria of the law, that in these cases considers both children molesting each other, they are quite arbitrarily classified as victim and perpetrator.
  • I believe it is because of lack of sex partners and social issues with peers. Interestingly, if a person stays chaste it causes mental problems with their sexuality (ie look at the situation with priests...). Some it would be just a thrill or fetish (a very unhealthy one if I may add).
  • A lot of child molesters were molested as children themselves. They were included in sexual situations as a child and the trama of that experience implants in their psyche. Think about children that are yelled at and beat by their parents as a form of punishment. Those children will in turn yell at and beat their kids as punishment. Of course this is not allways the case. Not all children who are molested will become child molesters themselves, especially if there is proper intervention. Terrible things like this are handled differently by different people.
  • A lot of the time child molestation comes from a very subconcious longing to be young again, usually due to someones traumatic childhood experiences. It is in no circumstance right or okay to commit such an act of brutality and violation. But mentally unsound people still do it. I have a very close friend who had something terrible happening to her like that for years. She never said anything because she wanted to protect someone else and it continued until the man died. She still suffers from the horrible experiences she endured. But with the help of those that love and care about her she is healing. I think in her case, the guy wanted power. He was a coward, and he loved to excersize his power over those who were weaker than him simply because he could. He destroyed many peoples lives with his lust for control and now that he's dead he can't hurt anyone anymore. Like I said before. It's NEVER okay to do anything like that. EVER. And if you know anyone who is currently in a situation even remotely similar to rape or molestation, try to help. A little help is way better than no help at all. That's just my opinion. But i would think that all of you agree that child molesters, etc. are screwed up people that deserve to have dildo's shoved up their....well you know....let's keep it rated PG. ; )
  • Firstly, there's not excuse for harming a child. Why do men molest young children is a difficult question to answer. Can I list a few thoughts that may well influence someone to start down this path of destruction. They have every low self-esteemed and are often very lonely. The person could have been molested as a child or witnessed violence/abuse to other family members. The court system still sides with the mother in custody cases. The way some parents present their children; they set them up as prime targets. There is also the "thrill" of getting away with it, and it does bring sexual pleasure. If you read the story of Stephen Stayner who was kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell it draws a picture of a person abusing the same child over a long period of time. However the molester and the victim did not know each other until Stephen was abducted. Stephen was abused about once every two weeks going by the information I have here. Children are very vulnerable and weak and Stephen almost resigned himself to the fact that this was going to continue and there was nothing he could do about it (he was abducted when seven). It was only when he was older and still trapped with Parnell (seven years later) that Stephen realised that he had the power to change what was happening. It appears that the pattern of behaviour is embedded so deeply into the brain that molesters keep going back time and time again. I don't know if any studies have been done on repeat child molesters but there must be something that triggers these actions. It's a sad reflection of society that people pry on the very young.
  • Well... I don't know really. I think there must be something wrong with them mentally. I pray to god there is. I cannot think of anything worse to do to a child then to molest and rape them. In my experience it is the worst thing in the world. They deserve to get the electric chair, I I dont care if they were abused before hand, or anything like that. Just because your life is ruined doesnt mean you have to ruin others too. I was abused and I certainly wont be doing anything like that to anyone because I know what its like. Edit: I don't know whether to be happy that you like the fact it's an example, or cry
  • I used to work in tech support at a computer company, and a psychiatrist who specialized in treating them told me (as we were waiting the 45 minutes it took to re-install Windows 95) that there are two basic types. If I remember correctly, one type wants to hurt children, and the other type can only develop romantic/sexual feelings for children, not adults. We didn't get into why some want to hurt kids, but he explained in detail how the other kind, who might be an otherwise moral, kind and considerate person, can ruin a child's life. The ones who can only develop romantic relationships with children mean the kids absolutely no harm, the last thing they would do is intentionally hurt the kid. They actually believe that they are having a loving, healthy romantic relationship with the child, when in reality of course, a kid is not ready for sexual relationships and it can seriously mess up their head. They either can't or won't see the harm it can do. They know society is against it but they think it's just a prejudice, like when society used to get outraged if adults of different races fell in love. That's why they would do that to a child. I wish I could further explain why some adults only feel sexually attracted to or romantically interested in children. Windows had completed re-installing and his computer problem was resolved, so we never got into that. I used to consider child molesters monsters, but now I think that maybe, just maybe, some of them are people with a mental illness that makes them do monstrous things. If that's true, I hope we find a cure for it so those people can get the cure as soon as they realize they're attracted sexually to children (and BEFORE they do any molesting) and then live normal lives.
  • I suggest you go back to Bowling or seek counselling
  • There is some really wild speculation here on this oh, so emotive topic, but obviously not one of the respondents has bothered to look up the stats on child sexual abuse, since every answer concentrates upon pedophilic abuse, which accounts for just 13% of all child sexual abuse. In the remaining 87% of cases, the abuser is the child's father (about 60% of all cases) or another family member, neighbour or trusted friend. There is way too much emphasis upon pedophilic molestation and nowhere near enough on the remainder. Answer 1 was probably the most comprehensive so far, but it gives no weight at all to parental sexual abuse despite that being the single largest area. As to why a father would sexually abuse his daughter (or in rare cases his son) is something I can't answer, and I doubt anyone could in a forum such as this.
  • Unfortunately, some people consider sex with children to be a sort of sexual delicacy. By engaging in relations with children, they harvest the life force out of their little bodies to give themselves a power boost. It's not just weird isolated people who do this, but the aristocracy did this in Ancient Greece, and ruthless, diabolical individuals do this today. Sometimes, it's the result of having so much power that 'no one can touch them', so they get away with whatever they want.
  • I don't think it's an attraction issue. I think it's a power and control issue. Does that make sense? I know it's really sick, and wrong on so many levels, but people who do that have mental disorders and need professional help.
  • I'm pretty sure its a mental disorder. I should know because according to Sakhalinskii's Trophy Winning Brain, I am a pedophile. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/126932/324957 I don't think I am, I havn't felt any attractions to children but apparently even though Sakhalinskii's Trophy Winning Brain does not know me, has never met me, and doesn't even live in the same nation as I do, he has determined me to be a pedophile. And everyone knows that Sakhalinskii's Trophy Winning Brain is smart and knows everything.
  • I took some psychology courses in college, and what I learned about people who commit acts of crime against children have usually grown up in a house where they were also being abused, or have been abused in there life sometime. NOT EVERYONE, but the majority of cases I've heard of and learned about.
  • Am I being mocked? Dude, that little ghost guy totally makes me want to play nintendo! Sorry that was off subject.
  • Probalby only a paedophile or a psychologist can answer this one properly. Many have probably been abused themselves. Those that rape children are probably into a power thing. Those that groom them... not sure if they do it for power. Whatever the reasons - its very sick. Some are pure evil, some I think do need some pity (they still need to be punished). Not a nice question to think on really but probably importnat that we do....
  • Peodophilia is an evil sickness that is there for life ,no amount of counselling can change them . It is a sexual preference and that means you cannot change it . No child is safe or can ever be trusted around anyone that is a peodophile. It can be brought out by abuse when a child this seems to make the abused become abusers themselves but how can you feel pity for a person that knows how dreadful the evil they are perpetuating on a child hurt and destroyed their own life
  • If our DNA didn't randomly change a little during evolution, we wouldn't be able to adapt to our changing environment. It's a try and error thing. Most turn out hetero, some gay, some like old people, some like younger. (I judge nobody...BUT...no matter what your preference is, seek help BEFORE breaking any law {criminal or ethic}. If you're a hetero, and you have an urge to rape, seek help also. Seeking help "before" should be PRAISED. "afterwards" punished to the fullest extend of the law.) Judging a phedophile before any crime has been committed, is just as silly as judging someone for being hetero or homosexual.
  • Misunderstood, you need to leave the teeny-boppers alone and find a woman more your own age.
  • There are differences between child molesters, pediphiles, and child rapists. You need to know those differences. So how can someone do this, there are so many reasons and no excuses.
  • This is the theory that I have posted on my website www.cryitoutrecovery.org. It's a theory on how the "cry it out" (CIO) methods of parenting can lead to pedophila. Pedophilia In order for me to explain how CIO leads to pedophilia, it’s important for me to share a personal experience with you. For the record, I have never been a pedophile nor have I been victimized by one, but what I’ve personally experienced has led to the development of my theory. As a child who was damaged by CIO, I too have experienced the infantile shift in consciousness, and as a child was looking for anything that made me feel better. This included people. The first true friend that I remember was a little blonde-haired girl from England named Julia. She was the first person who I truly felt safe with, and she accepted me unconditionally as a friend. Unknown to me at the time, I actually became obsessed with her on some level due to the damage that I’d gone through as an infant and toddler. What this caused me to create is what’s called an archetype. An archetype is an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious. The archetype that I created due to my closeness with Julia is why to this day I’m attracted to tall blondes, so my archetype is “Tall Blonde Haired Women.” What’s important to note is that although I created an archetype based on Julia, who was a little girl at the time, my attraction to women who fit this archetype from an age standpoint grew as I grew, and today I’m attracted to adult women who fit that archetype. With pedophiles, my theory is that many of them have been damaged from CIO (as I was) and also formed their own archetypes (as I did) for the same reason. The difference with pedophiles is that their archetypes include an “age” factor. It’s quite possible that the young child who grows up to be a pedophile became so obsessed with their friend, friends or siblings that they translated the actual personal characteristics of the object of their obsession including their age into their archetype. Since age has been factored into their archetype as they grow and mature in age their attraction to people their own age does “not” grow with them. Their obsession has caused their development to become “stuck” in place so when they do reach adulthood, their attraction is to children who fit their archetype or children in general. Pedophiles, like any other person who’s been damaged by CIO, need to recover from the damage that was done. They need to learn the tools that will allow them to manage their beliefs and discreate (release or delete) the archetype that causes them to be attracted to children. Just like anyone else, this requires first realizing that change is an option and then taking action in order to make that change.
  • I have read all the answers for this question, and some of them are good. Being a father who has 2 kids that have been molested(as well as knowing 7 others that he molested, three of which were his own, not counting their mother that he,countless times, waited until she was sleeping then cut the croch of her pants and have his way with her) Befor we found out he was doing this he had told me that when he was younger that most all the kids picked on him, and that he never had a real girlfriend. He said that he asked girls out but they would laugh at him and try to embarise him. Now It turks me what he did, and I feel that he should pay for his crime, what I am getting at is that maybe it has something to do with the way he was treated in school, and by other kids.
  • To be honest most peopel cant really understand anythign about the situation and right away start shouting that they are sick in the head when it is really not the case. like most of you have said many child offenders have had it done to themselves when they were children . the fact of the matter is that children will try to copy anythign a adult does like trying to talk, walk even hit people and this just falls into this to. but since being molested is such a traumatic experience it does get imprinted onto the childs mind easily. basicly if you confinded a child in a room and showed him/her nothing but images of people killing each other that child would try to do it in later life sure it doesnt happen that easily but it still works the same way, so people thinking it is just somethign they wanted to do should do some research before they pass their own view. Sure psychology can exspalin most of it but if you also do a child care course it fills the rest of the picture oh and i have to say sory for any spelling mistakes i did well im everything by english lol
  • I'm not exactly sure what goes through someones mind before they commit these hideous acts towards innocent children. I am a victim of child molestation. My father committed the crime. I am now 28, and it has taken me this long to have forgiveness in my heart for what he has done to me. It doesn't mean that I've forgotten what he has done, but in order for me to go on with my life I had to let it go. Everyday is different for me. Sometimes the thoughts and horrible memories of what he did to me overwhelmes me and I pray. His father molested my aunts, and he is an alcoholic. Around the time that this started he lost his dad, a girlfriend broke up with him and I guess I was the innocent one around for him to take advantage of. I read alot of different information trying to get an understanding, and most of findings states that he's a regressive child molester. But for anyone else that has had this happen to them, keep your head up. There is life after this rude act. Don't think that your alone. Life gets better. Keep Praying, and he'll take care of you!
  • i believe these people are possessed, and are inhuman, therefore capable of anything
  • I'm not exactly sure what causes someone to become a child molester. But I bet all of them had been molested themselves as a child, & that has alot to do with it. It doesn't make it alright though.
  • To be a child molester someone must first be a pedophile, which is a mental condition.
  • Im a criminal justice student, for homework i have to answer this question in an essay. what i would have to say is that when you are brought up in a home seeing this or being a victim of this and no one says anything you tend to think it is normal and the world is wrong when they say its something extremely wrong. Yes, someone has to be sick because something is wrong in the way they think. They do not think about what damage they are doing because theirs is buried so deep inside them they think if they turned out okay then it must have not been wrong. If there is a case of molestation not only does the child need help but also the person molesting. But often molestors have no remorse and dont think they did anything wrong because its normal to them. But its not right. i hope this answer you question.
  • Most of the people that molest children are people that had a horrible chidlhood such as getting the same thing done to them. Another reason there are child molesters is because that person is a little mental or was made fun of in their school life.
  • Maybe they just DON'T care.
  • There is not "one answer." Many things can muster together - to cause this. Maybe it is a way for someone to let sexual frustration out ? It could also be that an adult feels she/he is superior to that of a child - and, therefore, has that advantage.
  • god knows,.......... its the ultimate betrayal. :(
  • Great question but I have no idea how to answer that
  • For my grandfather it was a power issue. He had custody of me from 12 to 16. When i was taken out of the home (school issues) they were notified about it. Of course my family is too stupid to think hed do anything like that after he hits on 15 year old cousins and what not. I got disowned from my family. I see them once a year and only seperatly and for a few minutes. And only because my dad (who stuck by me after that) says they ask occansionally how i am. My grandfather cant be anywhere near me.
  • well,in my opinion, it causes someone to become a child molester because of the way maybe they were reated as a child. They might have been molested as a child and has not well healed from it so they go and do it to another individual. A child in most cases because they were a child at the time. S
  • I think they were molested as a child..I can't see anyone doing that to a child...There dicks belong in a meat grinder..Children are our future, you should be proud of them and encourage them to be decent human beings....these people who do that to children should drop dead...

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