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Open Letter to Oscar Bougardt 04 January 2017, 10:58
2 January 2017
OPEN LETTER TO OSCAR BOUGARDT
Dear Oscar
So I took up your challenge and went to read up about it. You know what I’m talking about: Your claim that it is proven that 99% of the pedophiles have a homosexual background.
I must say, it was impossible to find any South African statistics or research on the topic. The police crime statistics say nothing about pedophilia, only reporting sexual violence against children and infants. So I must say it is not proven at all.
I must agree that the numbers are alarming, with South Africa having some of the highest incidences of child and infant rape in the world. Infants being gang raped by groups of men, or men raping children in the belief that it will cure HIV seem rife. More than one in four minors experience physical violence at home and more than a third of girls have experienced sexual violence before the age of 18. Sexual violence in schools perpetrated by teachers and other pupils are also at disturbingly high levels. [1]
While these statistics seem readily available [2] [3] [4] , I cannot find any statistics about pedophilia in South Africa, nor any statistic or reference that homosexuals account for any of the assaults. In fact, I only find that “children were punished if they had homosexual tendencies.”
I wonder if we are talking about the same thing? So I went to find out the exact definition of pedophilia. According to my source [5] , “ pedophilia and child molestation are used in different ways, even by professionals. Pedophilia usually refers to an adult psychological disorder characterized by a preference for prepubescent children as sexual partners; this preference may or may not be acted upon. The term hebephilia is sometimes used to describe adult sexual attractions to adolescents or children who have reached puberty.
“Whereas pedophilia and hebephilia refer to psychological propensities, child molestation and child sexual abuse are used to describe actual sexual contact between an adult and someone who has not reached the legal age of consent. In this context, the latter individual is referred to as a child , even though he or she may be a teenager.
“Although the terms are not always applied consistently, it is useful to distinguish between pedophiles/hebephiles and child molesters/abusers. Pedophilia and hebephilia are diagnostic labels that refer to psychological attractions. Not all pedophiles and hebephiles actually molest children; an adult can be attracted to children or adolescents without ever actually engaging in sexual contact with them.
“Child molestation and child sexual abuse refer to actions, and don’t imply a particular psychological makeup or motive on the part of the perpetrator. Not all incidents of child sexual abuse are perpetrated by pedophiles or hebephiles; in some cases, the perpetrator has other motives for his or her actions and does not manifest an ongoing pattern of sexual attraction to children.
“So it seems not all child sexual abuse is perpetrated by pedophiles (or hebephiles) and not all pedophiles and hebephiles actually commit abuse. Consequently, it is important to use terminology carefully.”
So let us then come to your claim that 99% of pedophiles have a homosexual background: The only “research” I can find that claims this statistic comes from far right US Based Evangelical organisations of the Anderson ilk. I found the following [6] :
Timothy J. Dailey, PhD, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Marriage and Family Studies of the Family Research Council, wrote a 2004 article, «Homosexuality and Child Sexual Abuse» which seems to be the first source of this statistic. In his article he stated: «The circle of abuse is the tragic legacy of the attempts by homosexuals to legitimize having sex with boys… Individuals from the 1 to 3 percent of the population that is sexually attracted to the same sex are committing up to one-third of the sex crimes against children…
The evidence indicates that homosexual men molest boys at rates grossly disproportionate to the rates at which heterosexual men molest girls. To demonstrate this it is necessary to connect several statistics related to the problem of child sex abuse:
1 men are almost always the perpetrator;
2 up to one-third or more of the child sex abuse cases are committed against boys;
3 less than three percent of the population are homosexuals.
Thus, a tiny percentage of the population [homosexual men], commit one-third or more of the cases of child sexual molestation. »
His conclusion is not based on research, but on several “connections” he made base on his opinion. Interestingly Timothy J. Daily has PhD’s in psychology, without significant post-doctorate involvement in human sexuality issues, and PhD’s in fields other than psychology [7].
Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, stated in an Oct. 3, 2006 article in CNSNews.com, «Conservative Group Examines ‘Real Issue’ in Foley Case,» by Susan Jones, Senior Editor:
«While pro-homosexual activists like to claim that pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality, evidence shows a disproportionate overlap between the two.”
(Actually it is The American Psychological Association that claims pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality, not pro-homosexual activists.)
The Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) stated in its undated report «Exposed: Homosexual Child Molesters» on its website (accessed Oct. 11, 2007):
«Homosexual activists routinely claim that most child molesters are ‘heterosexual’ males, thus shifting the focus away from their own very high rates of molestation. Since 98-99% of the population is heterosexual, it is technically correct to say that most molestations are done by heterosexuals.” It goes on to refute this claim citing a TRV report and the study cited defines anyone who has a sexual relation with a member of their same sex as a homosexual. Other studies and comments cited may define individuals as heterosexual if their primary sexual attraction is toward the opposite sex, even if they have occasional sexual relations with or molest a member of their same sex.
For the record, I have been unable to find any studies in South Africa that support your claims. The above are not scientific studies, but rather opinion pieces based on (deliberate?) misrepresentation of existing research.
I have found some studies that have refuted the claims made above, and they include:
Sean Cahill, PhD, and Kenneth T. Jones, MS, Research Directors of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, reported in their 2004 article «Child Sexual Abuse and Homosexuality,» published by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:
«Because most child molesters are men, (90%), some have argued that ‘homosexual’ child abuse is widespread and that homosexuals abuse children at a rate higher than their proportion of the general population, which is somewhere around 3 to 8 percent of the population. Such claims are based on the false belief that men who sexually abuse boys are homosexual. In fact, the overwhelming majority of men who sexually abuse children live their lives as heterosexual men…
In fact, gays and lesbians may be less likely than heterosexuals to sexually abuse children. Two studies that examined the sexual orientation of child molesters found that less than one percent, in one study, and zero percent in the other, were lesbian or gay…
CONCLUSION:
Social science research does not support the claim that gay men and lesbians are more likely, or even as likely, than straight men or women to sexually abuse children. Child sexual abuse has little to do with sexual orientation. »
The American Psychological Association stated in its 2001 website article «Understanding Child Sexual Abuse: Education, Prevention, and Recovery»:
«Studies on who commits child sexual abuse vary in their findings, but the most common finding is that the majority of sexual offenders are family members or are otherwise known to the child. Sexual abuse by strangers is not nearly as common as sexual abuse by family members.
Research further shows that men perpetrate most instances of sexual abuse, but there are cases in which women are the offenders.
Despite a common myth, homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are. »
Ray Blanchard, PhD, Head of Clinical Sexology Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in his Oct.
