Your friend tells you they're a paedophile

[robvalue]

That's a very well measured response, thank you.

Has this actually happened to you Rob?

No, nothing like this has ever happened to me. It's all just based on examining the attitudes of society. I think it's a subject that is generally either swept under the carpet or met with hysteria, and one that needs more sensible discussion.

[Edwardo Piet]

All serious issues need sensible discussion by someone but I fully understand that many folks don't feel like discussing it or are unable to, or feel too uncomfortable to. Like... I fully admit myself that I'd feel too uncomfortable to stay in contact with someone who admitted to having these urges regardless of how subjectively certain I was that they hadn't acted on them.

[Mister Agenda]

It's really quite simple. I'm going to ask them if they ever touched or thought about touching my kid. I will put heavy emphasis on me killing them painfully l if they say they've thought about my kid. I will take my kid to multiple doctors to double check. And if my child tells me that some so much as messed a hair out of place heads will roll. They'd better leave town and do it quick.

Perfectly understandable reaction, and maybe the best one since you must prioritize the safety of your children; but it's precisely the reason pedophiles conceal their attraction, and rarely seek help. Likely fewer children would be victimized if pedophiles could ask advice and be referred to treatment without fear for their lives. It seems that pedophiles who act on their attraction are compulsive, but many are perfectly capable of controlling themselves and never harm a child in their lives. It's probably not possible to cure a pedophile of their attraction, but helping them deal with it is...in some cases that may involve restrictions from being around children unsupervised; in others it may be as safe as having anyone else around children.

More pedophiles seeking treatment would also be very valuable in learning more about the condition, as currently it's unusual for psychologists to have the opportunity to study pedophiles who haven't already done some harm to a child. Understanding the full range of the condition, from slight to extreme, is knowledge that could be used to protect children. Understanding the causes may make prevention possible, or minimizing the development of the attraction.

Just IMHO.

[Sterben]

It's really quite simple. I'm going to ask them if they ever touched or thought about touching my kid. I will put heavy emphasis on me killing them painfully l if they say they've thought about my kid. I will take my kid to multiple doctors to double check. And if my child tells me that some so much as messed a hair out of place heads will roll. They'd better leave town and do it quick.

Perfectly understandable reaction, and maybe the best one since you must prioritize the safety of your children; but it's precisely the reason pedophiles conceal their attraction, and rarely seek help. Likely fewer children would be victimized if pedophiles could ask advice and be referred to treatment without fear for their lives. It seems that pedophiles who act on their attraction are compulsive, but many are perfectly capable of controlling themselves and never harm a child in their lives. It's probably not possible to cure a pedophile of their attraction, but helping them deal with it is...in some cases that may involve restrictions from being around children unsupervised; in others it may be as safe as having anyone else around children.

More pedophiles seeking treatment would also be very valuable in learning more about the condition, as currently it's unusual for psychologists to have the opportunity to study pedophiles who haven't already done some harm to a child. Understanding the full range of the condition, from slight to extreme, is knowledge that could be used to protect children. Understanding the causes may make prevention possible, or minimizing the development of the attraction.

Just IMHO.

        That be great if they could get help openly, but how does one admit they have a problem without being vilified by the society? It's not as simple as saying "I have a drinking problem." Your admitting that you like children in a sexual way. That's a tough statement to say for anyone in that situation. We has a society would have to create a safe environment for one suffering from such a dis-order. If you were to advertise a clinic that treats pedophiles, your clinic would be a victim of so many external problems, We has humans need to understand and cast them away from help, we should be encouraging these people to get help.

       Now, a question for all of you. If you opened such a clinic, what would be the requirements for a person to apply for treatment. As well, you have to deal with law enforcement. They would make it a point to get the list of all your patients, unless you were to work openly with law enforcement. But, if law enforcement knows who they are, you might as well automatically call them sex offenders without a trial or evidence.

[AceBoogie]

I have NO mercy or sympathy for people who harm kids or have fantasies about harming kids. NONE. That's the most I feel comfortable saying on that subject.

Right, guided by stigma and prejudice.

Prejudice against pedophiles? Yeah, I'm okay with that.