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In Reply to: Re: consequences of abuse posted by Curious on December 19, 2003 at 12:19:34:
Fixated pedophiles (sexual predators) are people who lack empathy. They cannot understand how their victims feel. They feel bad only because they are caught and exposed to public shame, not because they understand how their victims feel. Fixated pedophilia arises from character pathology, and generally involves the worst types of victimization.
People who have empathy feel bad because they understand how their actions hurt another person. Situational pedophiles (who have empathy) typically engage in lesser offenses such as fondling, although various forms of penetration may also occur. Such pedophilia does not arise from character pathology, but is more closely associated with poor coping skills. With counseling, such offenders typically do not re-offend.
Situational pedophilia often occurs in cases involving an immature, stressed out and overwhelmed adult with poor coping skills who finds momentary comfort through sexual contact with a child. Under different set of circumstances, the offense would not have occurred. It's very similar to men who engage in homosexual relationships while in prison, but do not make this kind of choice in partners when out in society.
Sexual offenders come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are motivated by a range of circumstances and conditions. The law does not treat them all the same, as their motivations and level of offending varies enormously.
The justice system is primarily interested in getting the predators out of society; Situational offenders can usually benefit from counseling, and therefore, they are often not prosecuted. It is EXTREMELY difficult to successfully prosecute anyone for pedophilia, which is why (for the most part) only the worst offenders end up in prison. Trust me, there are lots of scum-bags walking around who are known offenders but have yet to be successfully prosecuted.
The extreme remorse that Rick Dupuis (Watchman?) experienced may be more closely associated with a psychiatric condition like clinical depression than with a guilty conscience. I read somewhere that Watchman had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. One feature of that particular mood disorder is EXTREME lows as well as extreme highs. Bipolar disorder can also interfere with good judgment and insight. I consider Watchman's suicide the result of a brain disease and not the consequence of moral failing.
Besides mood disorders, it is not unusual for sex offenders to have obsessive/compulsive disorders (OCD) and substance abuse/addiction problems. OCD means the person ruminates (goes over and over in their mind) so much that their activities of daily living are impaired. (These are folks who may wash their hands dozens of times daily or masturbate excessively.) OCD can be controlled with medication, as can bipolar disorder. Addiction is controlled through abstinence.
