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mk  ·  4437 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How Can We Stop Pedophiles? Stop treating them like monsters.

It sounds like a very reasonable approach. I've often wondered at how awful it must be to be born with that desire. I know a number of people that have been abused as kids. The actual rate must be shocking. There have to be preventative measures, because punishment only comes after a kid has suffered, and will continue to suffer.

This is something that scares the shit out of me now that I have a child.

But there is something else here. r/jailbait was (is it back?, pardon me if I don't check, I would have to explain to my wife next to me) a very highly trafficked subreddit. Attraction to young girls is not an uncommon phenomenon. I believe that sexual attraction to prepubescent girls probably is uncommon, but after females sexual mature, I don't think the male mind is so discerning. I'm sure there is a parallel for gay men, and probably for straight and gay women. At any rate, I think it is important to add to the conversation that legal age definitions and pedophilia do not perfectly overlap. Yet, all minors are susceptible to adults, and adults should not act, and if it takes support to help them, then they should have that support. The most important thing is that kids can grow up unscathed, punishment comes too late for that.