Pedophiles don't have signs on their backs or neon arrows pointing over their heads.

It's easier to believe that the "dirty old man in the park", rather than the clean-cut bus driver down the street, is a pedophile.

Pedophiles aren't confined to our Catholic churches. They are in Protestant churches, synagogues, and mosques. Some of them are teachers, counselors, scout leaders, truck drivers, factory workers, and youth ministers. In fact, they are wherever children can be found, irrespective of age, race, education, occupation, class, social standing, or income.

Celibacy isn't the reason priests prey on children. Sexual attraction to children, and sexual gratification from children, are the reasons.

Though there is no hard and fast profile of a pedophile, here are some general characteristics:

• Popular with both children and adults.
• Appears to be trustworthy and respectable. Has good standing in the community.
• Prefers the company of children. Feels more comfortable with children than adults. Is mainly attracted to prepubescent boys and girls. Can be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
• "Grooms" children with quality time, video games, parties, candy, toys, gifts, money.
• Singles out children who seem troubled and in need of attention or affection.
• Often dates or marries women with children that are the age of his preferred victims.
• Rarely forces or coerces a child into sexual contact. Usually through trust and friendship. Physical contact is gradual, from touching, to picking up, to holding on lap, to kissing, etc.
• Derives gratification in a number of ways. For some, looking is enough. For others, taking pictures or watching children undress is enough. Still others require more contact.
• Finds different ways and places to be alone with children.
• Are primarily (but not always) male, masculine, better-educated, more religious than average, in their thirties, and choose jobs allowing them greater access to children.
• Are usually family men, have no criminal record, and deny that they abuse children, even after caught, convicted, incarcerated, and court-ordered into a sex offender program. The marriage is often troubled by sexual dysfunction, and serves as a smokescreen for the pedophile's true preferences and practices.
• Are often, but not always, themselves victims of some form of childhood sexual abuse.
• Even if the pedophile has no children, his home is usually child-friendly, with toys, books, video games, computers, bikes, swing sets, skateboards, rec room, pool, snacks - things to attract children to his home and keep them coming back. Usually the items reflect the preferred age of his victims.
• A female pedophile usually abuses a child when partnered with an adult male pedophile, and is often herself a victim of chronic sexual abuse.
• A pedophile can act independently, or be involved in an organized ring, including the Internet, NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association), and other pro-pedophilia groups. Some pedophiles recognize that their behavior is criminal, immoral, and unacceptable by society, and operate in secrecy. Some are quite open and militant about their practices and advocate the normalization of pedophilia under the guise of freedom of speech and press, and uses innocuous language like "intergenerational intimacy."

Pedo means "child" in Greek. Phile is a derivative of Greek, Latin, and French, meaning "love."

The Exclusive type of pedophile is attracted to children only. The Non-Exclusive is attracted to both children and adults.

A pedophile will not stop on his own, and will not turn himself in, because he does not take responsibility for his behavior and denies that he's doing anything harmful. He will abuse until he's caught.

A child not always recognizes when he or she is being abused, manipulated, or groomed by a pedophile. Unless the pedophile is a sexual sadist, he does not have to threaten a child into silence. The trust, gifts, secrecy, and "relationship" are enough. In some cases, the abuser will coerce the child into silence by saying that if anyone finds out, he would go to jail, or the child would, and maybe the child's parents. In other cases, threats to harm the child, pets, and family are used.

Pedophiles can be "treated" but never cured, because their sexual preference has always been, and always will be, children. Their urges will always be present. Therefore, treatment focuses on changing, curbing, or re-directing the acting-out behaviors of pedophiles.

Knowing the profile of a pedophile, does this mean that the little league coach who has a great rapport with kids and treats them to pizza at his house is suspect? Or that the teacher who throws pool parties is? Of course not. The majority of people who like and work with children are not pedophiles. It does mean that we should be observant of all the adults in our children's lives, whether they wear a white collar, a blue collar, or a clerical collar.

If a child tells us he or she has been sexually abused by someone, be it family, friend, or trusted adult, we are obligated by law to report it to a child abuse hotline, police, or local children's services agency.

Written by :

mhmcontent

 

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email this

Hits: 30627

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (4)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Profile of a Pedophile

In reporting sexual abuse, it is important to realize that the burden of proof will be on you. Defense attorneys will discredit the Mother, the attending therapist (if any are involved), and the children. This lawyer will infer guilt by the actions of another party, anything and everything to raise reasonable doubt. It is the obligation of the lawyer to do this. This "obligation" does not minimize the trauma for the victims and their families, being forced to endure it.
Reporting does not guarentee a conviction, and without physical evidence, or an independent witness, the odds are not in favor of the victim.
I speak, sadly, from experience.
The only positive MAY be that in having been reported, the pedophile will seek treatment once the case is dropped, and perhaps will not offend agaid.
My question...is it fair to the victims?
I did the "right" thing, but having traveled that road, I would never, ever put my children into that arena again.
The D.A. should not put children through embarassing interrogations when the case is weak. To hope the offender will "cop a plea" does not justfy the process, in my opinion.
Therapists should be mandated to report only in situations where the offender has rights to see the victims. The best therapy is to talk it out, express the evolving feelings, and to NEVER EVER look at that person again.
Insufficient evidence does not mean the acts did not occur...it means they cannot be proven. Try explaining that to a ten year old.

Kathleen LoVoi , September 10, 2009 | url

• 
• +2
• 
• 

This is disgusting

In reading the research that I have read, I've been trying very hard to understand how in the hell someone can be sexually attracted to something so innocent and so defenseless as a child. I adore children and I believe that children are proof that God exists. They have a lot of love to give.

With that being said, I'm sorry but in my opinion, All pedophiles should be jailed for life or be put to death.

Concerned Citizen , October 05, 2009

• 
• -1
• 
• 

...

pedophiles are sick but i also feel sorry for theam when there had been abused as a familly member of mine was wen there was 5 i dont think there should be put to death there sick and need help

liam.g , November 09, 2009

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...

What are the available and recommended treatments for a male pedophile - other than be jailed for life or be put to death?

Curious , November 19, 2009

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment Preview