Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Health
  4. / Mental Health

by Tondoteottotote on September 8th, 2006

Tondoteottotote

Question

Help answer this question below.

If being born with a genetic predisposition to homosexuality is possible, can one be born genetically predestined to still be attracted to underage children even if they themselves aren't children anymore? Or is pedophilia a free will choice?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 7 helpful answers below.

  • by Anonymous on September 12th, 2006

    Anonymous

    Peadophiles more often than not have a history of being abused and bullied by adults themselves- leading to a need to feel power over another being (children being easy prey) in order to feel sexually aroused. or having been raised in an unusual home environment: sometimes overly religious or protective, seeing adult sexuality as sinful, or conversly with sex and pornography on full show from an early age- leading to a difficulty in forming adult relationships.
    Whilst it is likely that genetics play a role in a person's susceptibilty to these kinds of experiences and the way they handle them, the overwhleming evidence that most peadophiles have unconventional histories (which is not the case with homosexuals) suggests that the trait is not in-born.

    As a by the by: whilst peadophilia is a despicable and horrific crime, and the perpetrators should certainly be removed from society and punished for their actions- to see it as either an active choice in the same way as someone might choose to rob a bank, or an in-born trait of a "monster" is a mistake, as it blocks us from trying to understand the causes of the behaviour, and from developing solutions that might help to prevent future cases.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Persky Bunkermeister on September 8th, 2006

    Persky Bunkermeister

    I think so. I don't believe pedophilia is a "free will" choice. There may be some people that want to be despised by everyone, and so act out in dispicable ways, but I think most pedophiles act on desire.

    I think it comes under the category of "fetish" -- different things turn different people on -- I can't really say what causes me to like what I like, but I know this... it's definitely not like a light switch that I can just turn off.

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Chigg on November 13th, 2009

    Chigg

    Wherever your urges come from, the decision to act upon them is still a free will choice.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by 4LivingCreatures on November 12th, 2009

    4LivingCreatures

    Pedophilia seems to be linked to a misplaced expression of attraction to innocence related to an indivual's own loss of innocence.

    So while the offender may in fact have some bad wiring in their own head, it may not be as much of a free will choice but an end result to a chain of bad experiences in one's own life.

    That doesn't make it alright to hurt the children, but perhaps in understanding what makes them who they are they can better be prevented from becoming something so destructive in the lives of others.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Namaste formerly future_health_educator on September 8th, 2006

    Namaste formerly future_health_educator

    Genetics are never an excuse for bad behavior. (I don't believe that being gay is bad) People who have urges to hurt children need to get psychological help and saying that it was done to me or that it runs in my family is not an excuse.

    BTW even though most abusers were abused themselves most people who have been abused don't abuse others.

    That's like saying even though most fruit grows on trees not everything that grows on a tree is fruit.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by vew573 on October 17th, 2009

    vew573

    I was born with a predisposition toward alcholism...However, I still am to one who makes that choice whether to drink or not...I choose not to drink...My sister chose to drink...She is recovering now though. She has made the choice to stop drinking.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by tillyanne on January 24th, 2010

    tillyanne

    I wholeheartedly agree with Lady Fuscia.

    This is an interesting question and has been debated by numbers of professionals from psychologists to criminal justice professionals. Certainly a predispositon could change some dynamics of what is considered criminal as apposed to illness (remembering that genetic predispositon is not necessarily healthy, many mental illnesses are genetic), however, there is also the existance of willful and subconscious surpression, free will and responsibility for ones actions.

    I have read also that predisposition to homosexuality is still a widely debated topic and many do not agree with the findings, as well as further studies showing there is no predispositon, but rather occurs more due to sociological factors, as appears to be the case with pedophilia.

    Either way, it is also debated that if other natural predispositions in humans can be, and are willingly or subconsciously surpressed, for the 'greater good' of society and the survival of the fittest - for the human race. So then, it is said, should other issues (if there is a predisposition) that are considered antisocial, be capeable of supression. If surpression does not occur then it may be considered free will, or illness - in either circumstance, responsibility falls on the perpetrator, and the crime is punished by one means or another, but generally the goal is to keep them from harming society further.

    Not to lose site of the basic issue is that unlike homosexuality which is generally a consenting relationship, Pedophilia is not. Some Pedophiles are able to, after incarceration, surpress thier urges and others state they are not able to surpress while others still choose not to, willfully.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading If being born with a genetic predisposition to homosexuality is possible, can one be born genetically predestined to still be attracted to underage children even if they themselves aren't children anymore? Or is pedophilia a free will choice?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

Genetic predisposition to homosexuality
Why should i know my own genetic predispositions
Born genetically gay
How many people are born with a genetic predisposition for homosexuality
Some babies are born with a predisposition to homosexuality

Answerbag

a Demand Media company