This is more a personal question so the answer will vary. They are both terrible crimes but I personally would rather be killed than sexually molested (except by the right woman of course :-) ) and I'm in my late 20s. Thinking of the effect on a sexually molested child just turns my stomach. I perceive it more as a form of torture and would rather be put out of my misery... Thats all I got, sorry. Maybe a psychologist would give you some more complex voodoo explanation. Subconscious innocence of child lost, protective predisposition...

I agree that there will be varying answers because not everyone will feel the same. So, I would like to offer an additional viewpoint. I totally agree that these two crimes are horrible and wish them on no one. My perception is that most people tend to have a built in code of what is just. They want the punishment to fit the crime. "An eye for an eye" mentality. When someone's life is taken the punishment is taking the murderer's life either through capital punishment or locking them up forever (in essense depriving them of a 'real' life). When a child is molested what do you do to get justice? As a parent, my initial feelings are rage and wanting to use the guilty as a punching bag... but when does it end? For murder, there is a sense of finality as to the harm done to the victim. But for molestation, it can be a memory of pain for a lifetime. In effect, torture. What do you feel is worse: Death or Torture?

This is a difficult question to answer and I will try to do some sort of answer for you. People will often state that the molested child has had their 'innocents' stolen from them, whatever that 'innocents' is or was. Many druggies that land in jail and for other types of criminals, will automaticaly pick on a child molester as a skate goat, to conceal, or to boast about what they have done to earn their prison time. I personally think that a drug pusher is the worst of the worst, they give free drugs to kids who become hooked then have to prostitue themselves to get money to pay for more drugs, perhaps get AIDS aswell, all for the druggies to get more money to get more drugs to affect more kids to get hooked, etc, etc. So WHO, causes the kids ot lose this 'INNOCENTS' in the the first case? Drugs not only causes death by AIDS, it also causes these 'INNOCENT' kids to get hooked, so they have to steal from people like you and me to support those duggies, who steal from decent hard working people whom go out to work each day, to feed their families and themselves and have to do whatever we have to do, to live legally on the bread line. Now, sorry for that, but the druggies of this world are the scum. Some child molesters are trully bad, use force and sometimes murder just to have a few minutes of sexual pleasure, I agree. However the jack of the trade of men/woman whom have sex with children, do so out of love. Miss-gided perhaps but never psyicaly hurt or would cause pain to the child. All kids enjoy sex from a very young age, many boys rub their penises because it comforts them and they like the feeling. Almost all kids play mummies and daddies and or doctors and nuses, to see what each other has, it is just normal. The only thing that people have, is a barrier to what age adults play with others. Nothing for a 20 y/o woman rooting a 70 y/o man, go for it! I have said in an earlier answer, I knew a bloke with a 13 y/o son, he said to his son, go get it as many times as ya like. When this same father had his daughter turn 13 y/o, he said, if anyone touches you, they are dead!

I think its because it is percieved as probably the most monsterous thing to do, let alone to a child. Adults have made mistakes, some more than others, and also they have had more experience of the world and are not as innocent as children. wen a life is ruined like that it can be torture which is worse than death i shud imagine. Also everyone can relate to being a scared child, but as people grow they get more complex and people find it harder to identify with them. Basically, more sympathy goes out to children, and rightly so.

CHILD MOLESTING IS A MORE SERIOUS CRIME. THE CHILD HAS TO LIVE WITH THAT IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND FOR THE REST OF IT'S LIFE AND A MURDER IS OVER RIGHT THEN.MOST OF YOUR REAL KILLERS (NOT MANSLAUGHTER)CAN ACTUALLY GIVE A JUSTIFIABLE REASON WHY THEY DONE IT.AND THERE IS NO WAY A CHILD MOLESTER CAN SET UP AND SAY THEY WERE JUSTIFIED IN RAPING A CHILD.

first of all: Murder and sexual abuse are two different crimes. Second of all, the children are going to have that memory for their whole lives.

One reason is the molester ruins the life of many innocent children with their selfish need for control and they deserve what ever they get , if not more

Children are PRE-pubescent. That is, they are incapable of reproduction, so there is no reason for them to have sex, nor do they have sexual desires, as their adult hormones are not operating yet. No animal on this earth rapes its young except humans. It is an abhorrence of the worst kind, as there is no justification for it than power play. It ruins a young body not yet ready for sex. It destroys the trust that a child has in adults, who are supposed to protect it, and it sets in motion a life of misery that counselling seems unable to overcome. It affects every relationship that child has for the rest of its life. It is no accident that many abused children either abuse as adults or are battered women. A disproportionate number of drug and alcohol abusers, suicides and depressives are also victims of abuse. Is there any other reason you need for you to understand why child molestation is, in many ways, more serious than murder. At least the deceased is out of pain.

Children are innocent (not that adults aren't, but children have yet to experience the world as an adult has) and being molested at a young age can screw you up for all the years to come. As an adult, when you're murdered you die... thats the end. Quick. But try living another fifty years with the scars of being molested/raped. At least, that's how I look at it.

A) The vast majority of murderers only kill once in their lives while sex offenders have a very high rate of repeat offense. B) Some murderers were given a good reason by their victim while sex offenders cannot have a good reason. C) Most murders are really criminal on criminal and less important that the ruining of a child's whole life

Children are so incredibly helpless and vulnerable. They are taught that adults help them.... give them food, love, comfort, teach them, take them fun places, care for them when they are sick... kids TRUST adults completely. Molesters violate that trust and the childs bodies and minds and sanity all at the same time, often while being the kids ally in other ways. It isn't just about the physical contact... it's about causing all the social and emotional areas of the brain to develop in an abnormal way, so the damage is permanent and has an impact on the child forever. No amount of love, support and understanding can ever take that damage away... whatever level of improvement the child eventually has, their brain will never be completely normal, as it should have been. A cold blooded murderer is horrid too, but the victim usually doesn't suffer for more than a few minutes. The families don't watch the victim grow up struggling to overcome what was done to them. They can move on.

It really should not, since murder is, technically, the worse crime in any civilized society. But in our society, we tend to think with our hearts, and when it comes to our kids, that is even more true. For many people, the life of a child is more valued than the life of an adult. Most of us get married, have children, and as parents we feel the strong need to protect our children, who are largely helpless and vulnerable, from harm. When they are molested we naturally feel repulsed. But personally, I don't think we should perceive one as more serious than the other, since both are repulsive, and adult lives should be accorded the same honor and respect as children's lives.

I believe child molestation is far worse than murder. ANY crime againest a child. Child molesters take away the innocence of child. The child is no longer,thinking that life is good,it's fun,it's about playing and having a good time. That world is gone to them,they are left with fear,shame,hatred,anger,and the what did I do wrong for this to happen to me.The feelings and emotions inside are there forever they never leave you. You can become a survivor,but that scar is still there,it never leaves completely. Murder is a crime but the victim doesn't have to live with what happened to them,they die,their pain is over. I think there is a huge difference. I think we have to stay open minded to child molestation. We don't only have to worry about adult males,and females,but we also have to worry about our children's playmates. They can be molesters also.

Because children are harmed. Children have their entire lives ahead and unfinished. Adults have developed their personalities and are expected to handle things better.

Murder could potentially releive someone, as molestation possibly could as well. Some folks need a destiny which murder can endure while others need structure in the form of physical invasion, it has productive value, and an devastating toll. Both offer cause and effect. It's difficult to discriminate thes acts, dismissing the criminalization.

Some societies view them as detrimental to a child's successful development into a socially well-functioning adult. Also many have a nostalgic feeling that childhood should be an idyllic time and free from the cares of adult concerns and responsibilities.