Why Would Anyone Think This

[emmie]

I wonder what the new Pontiff thinks.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21810980

[emmie]

In an interview with the Stephen Nolan programme on BBC Radio 5 live, Cardinal Napier referred to paedophilia as "a psychological condition, a disorder".

"What do you do with disorders? You've got to try and put them right.

[ummmm]

It is an illness, although an illness that is not very curable, imo.

[emmie]

let's see if the Catholic church can put it's own house in order..

[ummmm]

Hopefully, and not a day too soon.

The paedophiles I've worked with were mainly abused themselves as children. Some were abused so horrendously that I actually felt sorry for them.

Times are changing though. Although the internet is platform for these people it also offers support groups giving victims a voice they never used to have. There was a time when sexual abuse was swept under the carpet. Them days are on the way out.

[vulcan42]

If the catholic church considers paedophilia an illness, how do they view rape?

[emmie]

no idea, but i still don't consider it an illness, not in the way one thinks of illness, mental or physical.

[China Doll]

I think it's good that the discussion is being had actually. Not every paedophile acts on their urges so a crime isn't committed. Where a crime is committed then it clearly must be punished. But not everyone who abuses a child is actually a paedophile either, a lot of the cases I see come from homes with huge amounts of drug and alcohol use, and that's clearly no excuse either.

I think it's time big discussions were had on the matter and it's going to cause mayhem because it is easier for people to say abuse of children is pure evil and get on the moral high horse than it is to start thinking about what to do with people who do have thoughts like this about children and how do we manage this. It's not good enough that we wait until children are abused to address the issues, they need to be addressed sooner. There are actually already places set up to deal with people who believe they may be paedophiles or have paedophilic tendencies, however I wonder how many people know about them.

It is time that we started talking about it properly and not with 'string 'em all up' default setting. I don't agree with this chap entirely but the fact that it's being thought about and discussed I believe is a very good thing.

[douglas9401]

Frankie One may think, "good strategic move my friend, get them chattering about specifics and it'll take their minds off the general midden that we've been rooting around in these past 2000 years and will continue with regardless of non-Catholic opinion".

[emmie]

this is coming from the Catholic church which is up to it's neck in mud. Perhaps not every paedophile acts on their impulse, and i can see from my own experiences that physical, mental abuse is abhorrent, and should be dealt with, but i still don't see this idea of it being an illness.

[hc4361]

CD, it is incredibly hard for a paedophile to get help before he (or she) abuses a child.
Admitting it puts up flags and barriers and causes alarm. It could result in an innocent person being barred from his job and if the fact is leaked out then he could face severe consequences from the community - simply for seeking help.
Charities can't get funding - who wants to support paedophiles?

I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy

[hc4361]

You think it's a choice, em?

[China Doll]

I know HC, and I do agree with you. But clearly how we're dealing with it now isn't working. So what to do? I don't have any answers but I think that's why better minds than mine need to be asking the question.

Em - you don't think it's a mental illness, maybe you're right, maybe some are just born that way, so what do we do? And then there's teh ones who were abused themselves who go on to abuse, are you seriously telling me their mental health is in tip top condition? It may not be an illness as you understand it but it's just a word, 'disorder' could substitute 'illness'.... either way, just looking at it as an act of evil isn't helpful, it's far more complex than that. That's why we need to start asking questions.

[hc4361]

I don't have the answers, either, CD.

[wimp]

If a paedophile commits a crime, and is foud guilty he should go to jail for a long time! He knows the difference between right and wrong and any help should go to the victim not the offender!!

[China Doll]

No one does HC, we ain't started asking the questions. In the meantime, children go on being abused. It's not good enough.

[emmie]

i have been involved in the mental health system for a long while, and i can only say that those i have mostly come across have long term problems like bi polar, schizophrenia, often drugs, drink are involved too, so not speaking without some experience. I confess that i don't see the sexual exploitation of children, the long term abuse they can and do suffer at the hands of paedophiles as any thing less than criminal.

[LazyGun]

But it is an illness.It is listed as such in the International Classification of Disease.It is a form of paraphilia and is listed as such in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Once those individuals act on their desires, then it becomes a criminal act for which they should face both punishment and therapy.That cannot be excused, even on the grounds that they might be suffering an illness.

We do not yet live in a state where there exists on the statute a "thought crime" though, so we do not lock people up for their thoughts. What the Catholic Church very definitely should be doing is bringing in the legal authorities when such allegations surface against priests, rather than what they have done in the past, which is to attempt to hush it up....

[China Doll]

I don't think anyone is disagreeing with that em.