Pedophilia may be a disease, but in most cases it is also a crime

The Atlantic ran a piece written by David Goldberg entitled, “I, Pedophile.” I suggest you read it, and while it isn’t graphic it is challenging to read. For me the worst part is that it reads as apologist bordering on pedophile rights.

Goldberg is a pedophile, and while he claims to never hurt a child he was arrested and served time (90 days in Canada) for child pornography. Briefly, pedophilia is the sexual attraction to prepubescent children by adults (over 16 years old). Often, pedophile is an encompassing term that includes sexual attractions to preteens and teens, though those age groups aren’t covered by the actual definition. It is a recognized psychological disorder and often viewed as deviant behavior. As mentioned Goldberg asserts in his piece that he never hurt a child, but what he means is he never molested a child, but child pornography does hurt children.

This isn’t to say Goldberg has no points of merit, but a lot of it comes off as “well, it could be worse” *shoulder shrug*. I want to note, that Goldberg discusses the self-loathing that accompanied his sexual attraction to children. For example, he’d spend hours looking for child pornography, and then immediately feel awful about what a bad person he is. After his arrest, he decided to investigate where these feelings came from:

“What I discovered was that for every small nugget of helpful information, there was a sinkhole of unanswered questions that remained. The main query that I am convinced will always be without an answer is why I am a pedophile. It is the equivalent of trying to determine why someone is heterosexual or gay. We don’t choose our sexual orientation. If we could, believe me, no one would choose mine.”

While, I don’t dispute that pedophiles are born, but they are also made. We know children who have been sexually abused can become abusers, though not the majority. I also am very uncomfortable with equating homosexuality. Obviously, homosexuality isn’t detrimental to anyone else, and of course, male homosexuals have been plagued by allegations of sexual misconduct with children, which was frequently unfounded and just blatant homophobia. Given this history, I find it irresponsible to assert pedophilia is the same. Additionally, this sounds like a cop out to me. We are conscious people and can control our sexual impulses, which doesn’t mean we’re not attracted to someone just that we don’t break the law.   

Goldberg continues:

“Yet the majority of pedophiles do not molest, but instead spend hours looking at child pornography. And as those numbers grow, so does the number of child victims.

“I am not advocating the cross-generational lifestyle. In fact, there is never an instance when an adult should engage in sexual behavior with a child. But until we as a society learn that help for those who view child pornography is a far better alternative to incarceration, we are doomed to see the continued proliferation of this problem. Scientists don’t know for certain if there is a correlation between viewing child pornography and offending against children. Wouldn’t it be nice to get pedophiles help before we find out for certain?”

The language employed by Goldberg is troubling. Additionally, he seems to prioritize child abuse, and while there are variations to the long lasting effects. All abuse of children molestation or pornography is detrimental to children. We should as a society investigate ways to help pedophiles, but as for the correlation between pornography and violence some social scientists do believe there is a correlation. For example, studies have been done where violent images and sexual images are shown and brain patterns are examines. Additionally, pornography is shown to some members of the armed forced before combat missions as to increase aggression. This often creates a hostile environment for the women serving. All of this on top of the fact that child pornography is harmful to the children depicted. 

Ukraine Vs. Pornography

The Ukraine has outlawed pornography. As I've stated several times before I believe pornography hurts people. However, the Ukraine has decided to outlaw it. I don't know whether pornography should be outlawed; I know it hurts people, but I wonder who gets to decide what is pornography and what is art.

Possession of pornography can result in a fine or three years in jail. The article doesn't define pornography, which is an issue on it's own. The legislation does stipulate that pornography can be used for medicinal purposes. This statement is important because it means that masturbation can be used for medicinal purposes. This is pretty exciting...check pun here.

Movie Review: Indie Sex Series

I watched three out of the four in this film series. The topics cover all the basics: Censored, Teens, Extremes, and Taboos. I didn't watch the one on taboos because you can't just stream it, and I didn't want to wait.

I watched Censored first. This was particularly interesting to me because the documentarian showed the origins of sex and the film industry including "stag films." "Stag films" are the predecessors of pornography. Those interviewed in the film explained that much of what we see in pornography today. The film then addresses the changes in the film industry, governmental regulations, and censorship. Governmental regulations resulted in films being censored where the writers and directors had to be more creative to get sexual scene across to their audience; a few such creative ways the directors did this was with a slap or cigarette. Then they discuss the self-regulation of the industry by themselves; this was a response the particularly experimental and crude films. The best example of this is the commercial success of films like American Pie giving way to the wildly popular Princess Diaries where sex is non-existent.

The film on Teens discusses the changes in how teen sexuality is portrayed on film. We travel from beach films to the film KIDS, which is a faux-documentary on young people. I've heard really god things about the film KIDS, but it was interesting to hear the reviews of fellow film makers who thought the film dances the line of child pornography. The Teens episode focus a lot on how teens are portrayed by media and there was a long discussion about child pornography, which of course I'm always a fan of hating on porn.

Extremes took on the public's fixation S&M and other fetishes. Also, films interest in these topics. Bondage and fetishes have become more mainstream in recent history, but only enough to make the terminology commonplace. People now know the definition of auto erotic asphyxiation, but people are reluctant to express interest other than a morbid fixation. But this film also took on the pushing of limits in the film industry. One great example is "unsimulated sex," which is actual sex between the actors during filming. The directors and actors specify how and why this isn't pornography. There was a long discussion about pornography and if/why "unsimulated sex" is interesting to the public.

I give these films 3/5. They were good, but became long after a while. Also, you can't watch them all in one sitting.

Pornography Hurts People

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This ad is horrifying and exactly why people should oppose pornography. It covers the chain of abuse from the purchase and trafficking to the sexual abuse.

Movie Review: Human Trafficking

Absolutely amazing and equally horrifying. I am actually going to buy this off Amazon.com after I post here. Four hours, I spent watching the film, Human Trafficking. It was on television and a good thing too because every time I started to cry they went to commercial. Brilliant performances by everyone in it. The film covered just about every aspect of sexual exploitation. We saw the girls kidnapped and tricked, and by whom, and where they were sent, and finally even pornography. Many people disagree that pornography depends on the sex trade, but it is, and anyone who doesn't believe it is uninformed.

Back to the film, I was literally screaming at my television demanding a happy resolution: that the turned out, terrified mother be reunited with her daughter, which of course didn't happen. That the father finds and saves his daughter, and that the police/feds move in immediately. The film ends with statistics, and unfortunately they are slightly dated.

Also, Mina Sorvino's character, an ICS agent, ends the film by stating why this is happening, and of course the blame doesn't just rest with those selling these girls most of the blame rests with those buying them. That is a lesson people should be reminded of everyday before they pay for sex; sex of any kind including pornography.

My rating 5/5.

Flash Pornography?

Why is unwilling sexual representation the most sought after?  On Salon.com this morning I was reading an article, Porn in a Flash.  This was about the plague of "upskirt" photography.  It is when you stick a camera or phone up a woman's skirt to photography her underwear while she doesn't know.  Apparently, the demand is for the women who don't know.  Aside from this being creepy and weird it is WRONG, just plain as day WRONG.  

People are being tried for it now, and of course getting off or receiving a punishment no where near the crime.  After all this is a form of sexual assault.  At least it is to me.  The level of entitlement of these people is astonishing to me.  The whole reason the people doing this are getting off without a punishment is because the women being photographed have "no expectation of privacy" because they are in public.  Well, of course, not I get it.  Don't want to be photographed?  Don't leave your house or if you have to take a man with you preferably a relative.  

The people doing this are bastards, and deserve what they get.  And yes some getting theirs.   One group taking on men who harass on the street is called HollarBack NYC.  Women who are harassed are encouraged to take photos of their assailants and post them online.  I think this is brilliant and should be a national thing.  According to the article one woman chased the man who photographed up her skirt down, confiscated his camera, and turned him over to the police.  He of course was later released because the law just hasn't caught up.  

Rape and the Military

We are all aware that there is something seriously wrong with the U.S. military.  I know we need one, I know soldiers are not to blame for the missions they are sent on, but they are to blame for their behavior overseas.  Frankly, I'm getting sick of every time you criticize the military being call un-American.  I know and am thankful we have a military, god know we need one with this administration.  What am I saying?  I'm saying when I read stories about the rape and harassment of our female soldiers by our male soldiers something needs to be done.  1 in 7 Deployed Female Soldiers Suffer from Sexual Trauma. According to the article women in this situation are less likely to report, and that is less likely than civilian victims are unlikely to report sexual assault.  Every branch of military service is going to expand their sexual assault prevention programs.  This is one of those things where I just can't understand why these programs weren't comprehensive to begin with, and why we aren't hearing about disciplinary action of the prison variety.  

On a related note, I recently heard that pornography is shown to soldiers before they head out into combat situations.  This is standard practice.  Anyone besides me think there is a correlation between pornography and violence?  I think the military is an anti-women organization.  Sexist slurs are used as insults to men early on in their careers.  It is a misogynist environment, and looking at it in that context there is no surprise to me that women in the military find themselves as targets for these rage.  

Jensen on Pornography

Robert Jensen has written quite a bit on the subject of pornography. I loved his book Getting Off, which details the dangers of pornography not just to the women and men in the films, but the general acceptance of violence against women, and interestingly enough the dangers to men. Jensen's article, Porn's Dirty, Dangerous Secret, was featured on Alternet. This particular article focuses on how far the creators of porn can push the envelope. Jensen examines this question in Getting Off as well. His argument is that pornography is repetitive and in order to keep people interested the pornography has to become more shocking. The pornography becomes more sexually degrading. Jensen argues that pornography is boring and will continue to become more brutal as a result. Jensen then critiques not only the treatment of women in and through pornography, but of men. Jensen claims men cannot see pornography as degrading because for them pornography is all about sexual arousal.

The article is interesting as is everything else I've read by Jensen.

Prostitution and San Francisco

Proposition K is on the San Francisco ballot. This would decriminalize prostitution, however it would still remain illegal because state law prohibits it, but it would strip local law enforcement of the power to go after prostitutes.

I have strong feelings on this issue: I know you can argue prostitution as a labor/human rights issue, but because of trafficking and child prostitution you cannot decriminalize it. I don’t believe the women/girls/boys/men working, as prostitutes should be penalized for it. We need to remove the demand or at least lessen it. But as Mark Benjamin’s article, Fall Girls, in Ms Magazine pointed out those purchasing people don’t get jail time; they get fines. This doesn’t mean remove the penalties for everyone, but enact tougher penalties on those creating the problem.

Every aspect of the sex industry is connected: prostitution, pornography, and trafficking. To deny this is naive and pushing one’s own agenda; legitimizing one’s own actions. It is mine own personal belief that though women may choose to work in prostitution it is not a choice made because they want to. This is a choice made because of abuse, necessity, economic pressure, or a number of other reasons. With the exception of the “peek-a-boo poles,” marketed to children and pulled from stores but not online, what little girl wants to grow up to sell sex? Again, I don’t think there is anything wrong with sex, or even selling sex if you have the agency to consent. We have the mindset in the world that once you turn 18 you have the agency to consent, but people don’t always have the choice. By decriminalizing or legalizing prostitution those who lack the agency will only suffer.