The inquest on Catholic Churches has revealed many Australians demand that pedophile priests should be punished in the harshest way possible.
But many psychiatrists now believe we are not assessing the full picture when we talk about pedophiles.
Despite this view in science, the public and media continue to hold a stigma of pedophiles as having a mental illness or as criminals.
This stigma translates to the justice system when considering crimes against pedophiles, showing several acts of violence are punished lightly, or not at all.
Dr James Cantor, American psychiatrist and sexologist, says that rather than a mental illness or voluntary behaviour, pedophilia is better likened to a sexual orientation.
Research by Dr Cantor has found many people who identify as pedophiles share common traits, cementing the idea that pedophilia is inherent at birth.
- Pedophiles are three times as likely to be left handed than the rest of the population
- The average IQ of a pedophile is 10 points lower than the overall average IQ
- They are significantly shorter on average than those who are attracted to adults
A Melbourne based psychologist said he believes that the media do not properly convey the problems surrounding pedophilia.
“It’s an oversimplification of the issue,” said the psychologist, “there’s a long way to go in terms of learning [about pedophilia].”
The issue of dealing with pedophiles has resurfaced since Cardial Wilfrid Napier’s comments on pedophilia a few weeks ago.
The controversial comments caused Twittersphere explosion, several claiming that Cardinal Napier was a pedophile himself.
Several negative Tweets, but none positive, in reaction to Cardinal Napier's comments
After these comments, Cardinal Napier quickly retracted his own:
“Child sexual abuse is a heinous crime among other things because of the damage it does to the child. In that concern I include the abused who has become an abuser.”
– Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, 18 March, 2013
Several are still criticising Catholic Churches on defending themselves.
Father Bob Maguire, commenting on this issue, said “somebody else has to say it, not clergy men. Because everyone will say ‘there you go again, defending your own!’”
When asked about the link between pedophilia and the church, Fr Bob said “most marry ourselves to the neighbourhood and to the church and parish, than to an individual.
“They’ve been caught short as a totally permanently immature male,” he said.
The Melbourne psychologist agrees. “It’s like a pressure cooker situation,” he said.
Several clinicians have given up on changing the sexual orientation of pedophiles, and instead try to teach them how to resist their unacceptable desires.
“Pedophilia will always have to be illegal,” the psychologist said, “because people, children, get hurt.”
But the psychologist believes greater changes need to be made to help and understand the psychology of a pedophile.
“To resist that desire your whole life, that would be the hardest bit.”
