Child Pornography: An Absolute Evil... ?

What exactly is the danger of being photographed nude?:f6: Does it hurt? Can you get diseases? Will you have a baby?

Hmm, my apologies for not linking the two. What do you suppose is the danger of child sexual abuse? I humbly invite the contribution, only if she wishes, of Throws in this, although not at the risk of stirring up feelings and emotions she would rather not re-live. I come, Stereo, from the point of view of a child-centred health profession as well as whatever a typical psychology major knows after they graduate. Stereo, CSA is not merely "having sex with a child." It is a child being fondled, a child being forced to watch sex, a child being forced to participate in sex, even a child being photographed in sex or suggestive positions. I cannot emphasise enough that CSA is misunderstood and underestimated.

Are you familiar perhaps with the effects of CSA? Even photography. It doesn't JUST make a child feel violated, betrayed, exposed, unsafe, and typically by someone they are supposed to be able to trust (which has its own host of major disruptions to childhood and perceptions of yourself, others and the world). That is merely the start of the huge emotional, psychological and social effects that CSA has, and they last a lifetime, and change all the things you do and think and feel. It may be hard to prevent it from defining your entire sense of identity and person. CSA may be underestimated, but it is everywhere, and it is devastating.

I'm sure this discussion has come up on Southperry before, but I don't wish to speak on a topic I have not been directly implicated in. This is why I invite a real person to speak; although I understand she may not wish to, and I would not attempt to persuade her to. The first clinical psych paper I ever took staggered me. Perhaps I should look up those lectures again; but I feel the facts should speak for themselves.

I don't personally believe that "children" (aged 13-17) are incapable of making important decisions, any more than 18-24 year olds are, or whatever age group you want to choose.

Oh, you are very right. They are certainly not all incapable. I'm sure I've met many a 13-year-old who felt capable of handling the world; others who were forced to grow up prematurely (at the expense of other socioemotional development) and could still make a rational decision. However, would you say they are all capable, just on the basis that some are? And if some are not, where are our priorities supposed to lie?

Let's suppose that only 20% of 13 year olds aren't able to make adult decisions. As an over-21 who has certainly been 13, 17, and 21 and knows what sorts of decision she made at those ages, I would disagree with this - but perhaps this is more acceptable to you all. Let's say at a conservative estimate that 10% of those 20% "consent," without the ability to make adult decisions, to be involved in child pornography.

What happens to each of those children who (through completely preventable means, to be perfectly honest) are left with a deep sense of shame and self-disgust? What is really worse here, the absence of the benefits of child pornography - or an entire .2% of a generation of 13 year olds without a sense of security, trust in those closest to them, self-belief, faith in their own ability, desire to be more than they are, etc.

The obsession with "routing" pedophiles is more harmful than anything the pedophiles themselves could accomplish - there is nothing wrong with loving someone, and if they reciprocate then physical intimacy is perfectly natural and acceptable. Claiming outright that all relationships between someone under 18 and someone 18 or older are bad and harmful is just plain destructive and ruins more lives than it could ever attempt to save. I feel bad for Collette Marie, these people ruined her relationship with her father, and for what? Some sense of moral superiority?[/color]

Loving a child is important. How do you show love to a child? Is it fondling the child? Is it taking pictures of them for someone else's sexual pleasure? Is it introducing a child to sexual practices they have no true control over? I used the age of 13 and older in my earlier comments as this was what we had been speaking of, but I would venture to say that child pornography is not limited merely to over 13-year-olds. Is a sexual relationship with a 7, even an 8 or 9 year old, ever anything but destructive?

We must be careful not to tread on others' rights to sexual pleasure - but I do not understand how we can be happy to let it happen in the full knowledge that in order to obtain it, a child is being slowly destroyed.