Child sexual abuse in our society. Why?

Question

It is nearly every day that you open a paper or turn on the TV and hear a new case of child molestation and abuse. We hear of abductions, pornography rings, rapes, murders, everything.

I tried to ignore it. I think we all did. I mean, the horror seems a million miles away from you doesn't it? It's easier not to thing about it, after all, it won't happen to our kids...it can't. How could it possibly happen here, in "civilized" society?

The most disturbing thing is the scale of the problem. It's not just one or two children, it's millions. Across the world, there are millions of children getting sexually abused.

It's not the smelly old man sitting on the park bench either, it's professionals. Lawyers, Doctors, even high profile political figures. I've lost count of the number of Councilors who have been arrested and successfully prosecuted for the possession of child pornography.

It makes me feel physically sick when I hear stories of abductions, torture, and the rape of small children. I'm constantly asking why. Why does this happen so much?

Now for the real shocker. What we see, what we hear, is just the tip of the iceberg here. It's happening everywhere. Figures estimate that 15-20% of women are sexually abused before they are 18. A third of those experience the abuse before they reach the age of six. Reports from a child helpline show that 7400 children under 16 reported sexual abuse in 2001. The truth is, 7400 is a tiny fraction of the victims. Many are too scared to talk, many can't as they are afraid of what will happen to them if they do.

The question I am asking? I am asking why this happens so much now? I'm a young guy, and so I may be making an assumption here; did this happen back 100 years ago...on this scale?

Why does it seem pedophilia the most common paraphillia? (is it)?

Thanks for your time.

Answer 1

it makes me fell sick too. Why should an apparent normal person be secret fiend. I cant comprehend it.

You say it is more common, but lets hope the answer is just that it is reported more.

In the past it probably was hushed up and not talked about.

At least now there is more chance of them getting caught!

Answer 2

Wow I completely agree with you 100%.  I hate hearing the news when they talk about how a little girl/boy got snatched up and are missing.  How awful is that?  You never know what could be happening to the poor innocent children.  They could get raped/abused/killed etc.  Its a horrible thought for us all.  I have been very worried about all the things you have said for awhile.  Thats why when Im older and am able to do something about it I will somehow help children who were abused in any way.  I have very strong feelings for this subject and appreciate that you wrote something like this.  God bless!

Answer 3

I guess about 100 years ago, the condition would be similar.

the difference is that all the people did not have equal exposure to the media to put their problem forward.

Internet was not in everyone's reach.

Human instincts have been the same. fierceness and cruelty.

Answer 4

There are many reasons why children continue to be abused in our society. Some of the factors can be controlled, others cannot be so easily changed. Here are my speculations:

1. Children are vulnerable and innocent, making them easy targets by child predators.

2. Some men (and a few women) are pedophiles, meaning they have a twisted sexual attraction toward children. A percentage of pedophiles is willing to actually have an sexual encounter with a child.

3. Many child predators recommit their crimes with other children, yet our prison system may not hold them for long incarceration after conviction.

4. Child services is pretty crappy in our country. Many children die from neglect because the government does not rigorously check up on kids suspected of being abused.

5. Potential shame associated with sexual contact. Some families are very "hush hush" about such crimes, especially if they were committed by relatives as is often the case.

Simple television shows like "To Catch a Predator" show that potential predators come from all walks of life, and most of them do not seem to mind if a girl is only 12 years old. There's some kind of cognitive disconnect in most of their heads. It is as if they don't realize the harm they will likely inflict on a kid if they sleep with them.  

Answer 5

I agree with you completely with the views you have expressed.

I find it awful that people can do that sort of thing. I'm a young teenager. I think I feel less worried because I'm a boy.

But I think that people hear about it, think: "Hey, that sounds good, lets try it!".

I also think that people get a "high" feeling from it, like the effect some people get from drugs.

The world is polluted by this sort of thing every day.

But, the thing is, no matter how many paedophiles the police claim to catch, there are still millions out there. People that have been a paedophile for all their lives and never get caught.

So, all in all, the only thing you can do is be wary. And if you have been affected, don't listen to a bloody thing that the person abusing you says, talk to the police!

Answer 6

I'm not sure if it's more common or just more talked about but there are statistics to suggest it could be more common. To follow the more common hypothesis you'd have to view these stats under the lens of the victims become victimizers theories.

I don't remember the exact numbers so just for the sake of easy math:

1 predator victimizes 100 children.

Of the 100 children 40 will become victimizers.

Those 40 will each victimize 100 children so now there's the orginal 100 + 400 new victims = 500 children victimized...and so on.

Answer 7

I believe society is and the media are just now focusing on age old problems (child abuse physically and sexually.)  I wish society could focus on the solution maybe offering parental classes and better monitoring systems for sexual predators.   I think also society is lacking a focus and a goal, Society is also missing out on morals.  Why don't we have a don't hurt children month, when society is targeting these issue on television, in the news, at schools and have things focused to stomp it out?

As a victim of sexual, emotional and physical abuse, I don't have to put any effort into not turning a child into a victim of sexual abuse, but I do have to make a heavy effort for emotional and physical abuse and try to fit that pattern when I discipline my child and others. (ie Tony don't speak so silly can actually sting so I have to work with how to say things.)

Answer 8

The so called justice is not taking care of them perverts. There was a man who lost his child to a predator pervert that was caught 28 times and was on parole again. You would think after the first or second time they would leave him to rot or hang him. These sexual predators should get help and if that does not work leave them in jail and rot. I know one thing if a perve got a hold of my kid or even if the pervert looked at my kid he would not have eyes any more.

Answer 9

Honestly, I have no idea. I know that it happens WAY too often. I am assuming it has something to do with the mental health of the pedophile, and that it is something that has to do with power and dominance rather than lust and sexual attraction. It is a way of hurting a child, using sexual actions as a weapon against them.  

Answer 10

This has been happening for a long time. It did used to seem to only be the old man that worked on Grandaddys farm. No, those were just the one's getting told on. Families used to be more likely to keep it amongst the family, or sweep it under the rug, not to be mentioned again.  I think the reason it is so aggressive now is because people have become used to getting what they want, there is a means of getting what they want (you just couldn't hop on a plane back in the day, go overseas, have s*x with 3 yr olds, and return to your job Monday.), and the love and compassion of man weakens as generations pass. It is sad.

Answer 11

Who knows man? People are ****** up.

Some people are born g*y, some are born straight, some are born pedophiles.

Answer 12

Even thought this isn't R&S, I'm going to give you  the Bible's explanation...

You've heard of the world-wide Flood of Noah's day, I assume.

The reason behind it was that society had gotten horribly violent & out of control.  The reason?  Satan & his followers (Satan means 'resister' of God) madefleshly bodies for themselves, so they could cohabit with the lovely women of mankind.  They even had children with them, the 'Nephilim'.  Things were so horrible, that God sent the Flood to wipe them off the face of the earth...  

Why Was an Ancient World Destroyed?

http://watchtower.org/e/20020301/article...

The Nephilim died, but their fathers all returned to the spirit realm---until Christ ws enthoroned as king of God's kingdom (as prophesied by Daniel), & the first official act he did was to cleanse the heavens, by throwing the lot of them out of heaven, & into the earthly realm...  Presently they are restrained here---& guess what behaviors they are once again displaying, & kinds of influence they are having... They are no longer allowed to make fleshly bodies for themselves, so they actively influence those who already have them...

Who Is Behind All Evil? :

- Are Evil Forces at Work?

- Satan--Myth or Sinister Reality?  http://watchtower.org/e/20021015/article...

Who Really Rules this World?

- A Clue From World Conditions

- The Rulers of the World Identified

- Resist Wicked Spirits  

http://watchtower.org/e/t22/article_01.h...

The Problems of Children ... :

- An Ongoing Search for Solutions

- Children Deserve to be Wanted and Loved!

> The Solution at Last!

- Help for Young People

- The UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child  http://watchtower.org/e/20001208/article...

Answer 13

I hate to be fairly insensitive, but the media loves a good sensational story. Whatever will get them viewers.

I suppose one could say any victim is too much, but in all honesty I don't think the rates are as high as we're lead to believe by the media.

Answer 14

I think you have a valid point, but one thing I hope is your open to seriously understanding the other side. Most are raised that it's ok, or not taught at all about what is acceptable and what isn't acceptable sexually. Partially its our society's fault. You know how they always avoid the issue of s*x, it's just on the internet and in magazine and than passed around in schools but its never seriously talked about like Math or Science. Sometimes schools are pretty limited because religion and other reasons and cultural values but that leads to people not really comprehending exactly what s*x is beyond the obvious image. They don't get it in the sociological sense they don't get it in the moral sense and they may just really on there own pleasure. They may have urges and just act upon them. Look at what happened in Austria in the "Austrian Cellar", the guy confessed I started to feel urges and couldn't control himself, but who spoke to that guy, who restricted him sexually. The man was partially known (after the incident) for going to brothels, and yet there legal in many countries, in Fact Nevada sees Prostitution (in some cities) as legal. Now how is that ever going to limit sexual predators. Think about it, a lot of criminals, will think if they can't pay for it and say they can't afford it then they can just kidnap someone else or force another person to do it, or worse case they'll involve there children because there the easiest target. A lot of cases why children are targeted is not because there the biggest sexual turn on (although there are diseases that involve children, but that would just increase with population) but because there easiest to target. Then televisions they talk about it so much a lot of criminals will see it as nothing bad or nothing beyond ordinary. Oh this guys getting arrested and sent of to jail for theft and this guys in the same cell and he's a sexual offended, so they think there act is acceptable. There are so many factors I doubt I could ever think about them all. The problem with most people is they want to just blame others and look very limitly at the situation. In order to stop this we have to change law's which involves politics, it would involve liberals and conservatives to work together, it would involve what we show on television, it would involve what we teach in school, it would involve what kids do for fun, it would involve the accessibility of p**n, it would involve so many different things that you would need to divide our responsibilities with others. Like parents politicians teachers principals, classmates etc. But who's going to talk full responsibility when you can just say its all the criminals fault and just hang him. OK that's an easy solution, but I guess teachers got out of there cowardliness if we did that. Parents would not take responsibility for different accessibility to children, so I hope you see what I'm trying to say here. There are a variety of reasons and you may be fed up with it but in order to change this we have to also put in effort and do something. I guess asking this question is a good positive first step, but that's not it. We have to do more if we want to stop it and its not just blaming criminals. We always just blame others. Time to take some responsibility

I regards to it happening more, I really don't know I hope you get an answer to that, but I'm guessing yes due to population growth. Also don't forget that its broadcasted much more due to the demand of viewers like me and you.

Thanks For answering

Hope this help

Have a good day

Answer 15

control.

Answer 16

You know, it did happen back 100 years ago, but certainly not on the same scale as it does today. A lot has changed about society in a hundred years, though.

A hundred years ago, children were valued. Now, many kids are raised by daycares rather than their own parents. A hundred years ago, children were considered a blessing. Now, a woman can go in, give birth, and have her child murdered in a procedure which is considered abortion even though the child is half-born while it occurs.

Twenty years ago, swearing wouldn't have been allowed on television. The level of violence we see in everyday Television wasn't considered for horror movies. We, as a society, are allowing ourselves to become desensitized to violence and the pain of those around us. We have kids playing video games where you can go into a shop, buy some clothes, and then murder the clerk and empty the till as you leave.

Some people beat their kids to death, while others are too scared to even discipline their kids, for fear that the kid will scream "abuse" where there isn't any, and wind up destroying the family.

Some people get their kicks by hurting children. Some of them are truly sick, they truly think what they're doing is okay. they think the child likes it, and wants it. They are seriously mentally ill and need help, unfortunately they won't get it because they'll wind up in jail or dead instead.

Some people are sadistic and enjoy the feeling of power they get from harming a child who can't fight back. They like to inflict pain, they like to feel strong, and about 30% of them are doing it because it was done to them, and they don't know any other way of dealing with their pain.

I was abused at the age of four, raped at the age of ten, and raped as an adult. I will probably, for the rest of my life, be dealing with the consequences of someone else's actions. The thing that really makes me angry though, is that I don't feel anger towards my abusers. I studied psychology in order to gain an understanding of what I was feeling and going through, and instead gained an understanding of them. I don't know if they are part of the 30% who grew up as abused children themselves, but I can't hate them for something that they may not have been able to keep themselves from doing. Maybe they knew it was wrong, but were too afraid of the reaction they'd get from a doctor if they tried to talk to someone professional about what they were feeling, or doing. I have tried very hard to see things from their perspective, and I think I've done an okay job at it, but it really sucks because understanding them a bit better doesn't make my pain any less. I still have to live with what was done to me.

I am saddened that society seems to sensationalize this tragedy that is occurring every day and night. They've turned it into something that isn't shocking and horrifying to everyone anymore. We should all be utterly horrified and saddened when a child is purposefully hurt in any way, and we're not anymore. We've come to accept it as something that just happens, and we let it go. We feel sad for the kids we hear about that go missing and turn up dead, or never turn up at all. But we don't do anything about it.

We just keep on desensitizing ourselves to painful things by pretending they are entertainment, and we let our kids be raised by TV, video games, and daycares. We are not nearly as civilized as we like to think we are.