Psychological criminology has helped us understand paedophilia and child sexual abuse in a few perimeters. First we have been able to understand what is paedophilia and child sexual abuse. Paedophilia refers to the sexual attraction towards prepubescent children, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-4), defines it as “recurrent, intense sexual arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving activities with a prepubescent child” and child sex abuse does not have to involve force, penetration, pain, or even touching, If an adult engages in any form of sexual behavior such as even showing or looking with a child to meet an adults sexual needs then it is considered child sexual abuse.
But to be a pedophile is
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In the journal titled Paedophilia by Marianne James, it suggests that about 2 percent of their female sample reported some likelihood of having sexual activity with a prepubescent child . Psychological criminology helps us understand who these paedophiles are because it is not easy to recognize a paedophile as they look and behave the same way as everyone else, they are found in every walk of life and in fact some of them even have sex with their spouse or partner, it is not possible to describe an accurate behavioral trait of a paedophile. But studies have found that these offenders usually begin at a young age, they are likely to have committed many more sexual offences and they are likely to experience a board range of sexual interest and urges …show more content…
According to the journal by B.Bowers titled Child Sex Abuse Leaves Mark on Brain, The study indicates that severe, repeated sexual abuse in children can underline damage to a brain structure that helps orchestrate memory, this cerebral injury may predispose people to experience altered states of consciousness known as dissociation and to develop port traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) . An MRI scans of abused and non-abused women were conducted and the abuse victims displayed markedly smaller hippocampal volume (A major component of the brains that consolidates the information from short term memory to long term memory). Most child sexually abused women exhibited PTSD symptoms such as emotional numbing, recurring nightmares about their trauma, and exaggerated reactions when startled
Offenders are able to identify weaknesses in a child’s personality or life circumstances and then exploit them. There can be many different characteristics a Child Molester or Pedophile uses for their selection process. The characteristics are the foll...
Our text describes pedophilia as a person who “gains sexual gratification by watching, touching, or engaging in sexual acts with prepubescent children, usually 13 years old or younger” (Comer, 2013, p. 411). The movie, The Woodsman describes the story of a convicted sex offender recently released from prison. Walter, depicted by Kevin Bacon shed some insight into the motivations and thought processes that a sex offender, specifically a pedophile might have.
“...an individual with [pedophilia] has the same ingrained attraction that a heterosexual female may feel towards a male, or a homosexual feels towards their same gender.” (Johnston, Pg. 1). Pedophilia - “the fantasy or act of sexual activity with children who are generally age 13 years or younger” (American Psychiatric Association, p.1) - a word that holds multiple negative connotations, is often seen as aberrant thought process or behavior, and is under debate as to whether or not it’s a sexual orientation. But can it be considered a sexual orientation? As a member of the LGBT community, this issue has surfaced among us and shocked the majority.
Also note that I am using the term ‘child molester’ almost exclusively. This is because there is a difference between a pedophile and a child molester. Pedophilia is a psychological disorder in which a sexually mature adult is attracted, either preferentially or exclusively, to pre-pubescent childr...
It is a common stereotype that all sex offenders have some form of psychopathy, and therefore they cannot be treated, however most sexual offenders do not have major mental illness or psychological maladjustment (Ward, Polaschek and Busch, 2006), therefore it is not impossible to treat them. Finkelhor’s (1984) precondition model was made with the assumption that the psychopathology of an individual will only take us so far in explaining sexually abusive behaviour, Finkelhor states that 4 stages of preconditions must exist before sexual abuse can take place, these are; Primary motivation to abuse a child sexually, overcoming of internal and external inhibitions and dealing with a child’s resistance to sexual abuse, for each subsequent precondition to occur the previous one must be achieved. Finkelhor argues th...
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV), defines pedophilia as a person having an intense and recurrent sexual urges towards and fantasies about prepubescent children and on which feelings they have either acted or which cause distress or interpersonal difficulty.
Many of the traditional criminological theories focused more on biological, psychological and sociological explanations of crime rather than on the cost and benefits of crime. More conservative approaches, including routine actives, lifestyle exposure and opportunity theories have clearly incorporated crime rate patterns as a fundamental part of analyzing the economics of crime. Crime statistics are important for the simple reason that they help put theories into a logical perspective. For example, a prospective home owner may want to look at crime rates in areas of potential occupancy. On a more complex level, it helps law enforcement and legislators create effective crime reduction programs. Furthermore, it also helps these agencies determine if crime prevention programs, that have been in effect, have been successful. There are many factors that influence the rates of crime including socio economic status, geographical location, culture and other lifestyle factors. More specifically, Messner and Blau (1987) used routine activities theory to test the relationship between the indicators of leisure activities and the rate of serious crimes. They discussed two types of leisure actives, the first being a household pastime, which primarily focused on television watching. The second type was a non-household leisure event which was consisted of attendance to sporting events, cinemas, and entertainment districts. The focus of this paper will be to study the effects that substantial amounts of leisure activities have on the offender and the victim. Leisure activities not only make a crime more opportunistic for offenders, it may also provide offenders with motivation to engage in criminal activity. On the other hand, it may also be argue...
Recently there has been an extreme debate between "false" vs. "repressed" memories of abuse. A false memory is created when an event that really happened becomes confused with images produced by trying to remember an imagined event. The term false memory syndrome refers to the notion that illusionary and untrue memories of earlier child abuse can be 'recalled' by adult clients during therapy. In an increasingly polarized and emotive debate, extreme positions have been adopted, on one side by those believing that recovered memories nearly always represent actual traumatic experiences, for example, Fredrickson (1992) who argues for a 'repressed memory syndrome' and, on the other side, by those describing a growing epidemic of false memories of abuse which did not occur. (Gardner, 1992; Loftus, 1993; Ofshe & Watters, 1993; Yapko, 1994).
Child abuse is a serious issue in today's society. Many people have been victims of child abuse. There are three forms of child abuse: physical, emotional, and sexual. Many researchers believe that sexual abuse is the most detremental of the three. A middle-aged adult who is feeling depressed will probably not relate it back to his childhood, but maybe he should. The short-term effects of childhood sexual abuse have been proven valid, but now the question is, do the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse affect middle-aged adults? Many contradicting views arise from the subject of childhood sexual abuse. Researchers and psychologists argue on this issue. Childhood sexual abuse has the potential to damage a child physically, emotionally, and behaviorally for the rest of his or her childhood, and the effects have been connected to lasting into middle-aged adulthood.
Paedophilia: comes from the Greek word; paidophilia, which means friendship. But such a meaning denies the true horror of their beliefs and actions. A paedophile is a person who fantasies about having a relationship with young children. It is a person with a dark, destructive and a disturbed mind. Society in general is revolted by these people but they are encouraged to view it with understanding. Many health officials describe it as a mental illness that has no known cure. This is why they have to hide their tendencies from public view. But who in there right frame of mind would send off their young, helpless child and pass them into the hands of a horrifying, mentally unstable babysitter? Would you leave your child alone? Defenceless and unable to fight them off? No, Of course you wouldn’t.
There are numerous ideas in the area of criminology that attempt to interpret the causes behind why people commit crimes. Social process idea is one such idea and affirms that criminal actions are taught by viewing criminalistic actions by others (Schmalleger, 2012). The four kinds of Social method theories are Social learning idea, Social command idea, labeling idea, and dramaturgical viewpoint. Throughout this term paper, we will gaze at two of these theories, Social discovering theory and the Social command theory. This essay will converse about the Social method theory's significance to criminology, as well the history of its development.
Another study shown by Seto, Michael C. surveyed 50 members of a Dutch working group on pedophilia, this study was done by Bernard (1975). It revealed that most of the respondents preferred boys, others preferred age being age 11 or 12. Also, more than half of the respondents were currently having sexual contact with a child, and more than half had been charged for sexual behavior against children. Bernard’s study proved that pedophilia is different within any person who possess it, it can vary within a good amount of characteristics. As stated by Seto, Michael C., Bernard found that, some respondents indicated that they were quite young when they became aware of their sexual interest in young children, and 90% indicated that they did not wish to give up their sexual contacts with boys, despite criminal discipline or involvement in treatment. There were also clinical samples done according to Seto, Michael C. These clinical samples presented a further source of enlightenment. Galbreath, Berlin and Sawyer (2002) reported data from 39 individuals who used the internet for sexual purposes. The study Galbreath, berlin and Sawyer managed disclosed that, 55% percent of the outpatients had downloaded child pornography, and 34% had attempted to meet a minor for sex through the internet.
When someone is young they are unaware of some of their decisions and are unaware of the things that will scar them for the rest of their lives. In the article by Margo Kaplan, she discusses what pedophilia actually is, the laws that are currently in place, and how a child’s wellbeing is at risk. This article is highly credible considering that the author is a well-known researcher in the field of criminal law with a concentration in sexual crimes. Pedophilia’s recursive nature is to perform harmful acts to children; while pedophiles can put a child in the physical harm they are also prone to psychological harm (Kaplan 43). Kids are the main victims of these heinous acts, but there is no precaution to those that cause the harm resulting in them hurting more children than necessary in the process. While the following article is not that credible seeing that there is no clear citing from where they acquired their research, they were able to assemble a valid point about pedophiles going against a kid’s desire (Duke 5). According to the author, Judith Levine, in the same article, parents have the proper say about whether a child is being molested or not. While this relates to the previous article by Kaplan, it does so in the nature that puts the
I am writing this letter with the intention to advocate for more health services to individuals who identify as pedophiles. For years pedophiles have been discriminated against because of their sexual interest. Individuals who identify as pedophiles are often associated with sex offenders even though pedophilia is a mental disorder and does not mean they committed a crime. Individuals who molest children are not always identified as a pedophile. According to the DSMV in order to be diagnosed as pedophile the urges must be recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving activity with a prepubescent child or children. These feelings or urges must present for 6 months. The misconception of pedophilia makes these individuals feel that they cannot talk to anyone about their urges because of the fear of losing their employment or being criticized by peers and family. Providing health services for pedophiles will help them
Not only that but Investigations have shown that children who are sexually abused are at greater risk of developing Post Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), that women who are sexually abused as children are more likely to have a major depressive episode, and that they go on to have greater lifetime prevalence of conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder and agoraphobia. They are also more likely to attempt suicide and to engage in self-mutilation than women who did not experience childhood sexual abuse (Pearson, 2017). No one should have to live their life in fear neither as a child nor as an adult, one traumatic event such as sexual abuse in a person childhood cause a person to live in fear for the rest of their