Kentuckian challenges study
American Psychological Association (APA) report normalizes pedophilia (child sex abuse)
From Kentucky Citizen Digest, July, 1999

As a clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of experience working with hurting adults and children, I am painfully aware of the tragic cost imposed by childhood sexual abuse.Of all the indignities that can be visited upon the young, sexual abuse is certainly among the worst.

When physical intimacies are perpetuated on children, many things happen:the vale of innocence is shattered, resulting in a child having to cope with “adult” experiences without the benefit of a mature, adult outlook; trust in adults who should be protecting children is compromised, often leading to perverse and pathological relationships; the child sees himself or herself as not “belonging” with either innocent children or mature adults, resulting in stunted emotional development; the lies usually accompanying child sexual abuse desensitizes the child to more and more lies, all needed to protect the secret; the youngster is often bathed in a sordid, ruthless power-play of blackmail, intimidation and coercion which becomes a self-destructive way of life in adulthood; and normal sexual fulfillment in marriage often remains impossible to achieve in spite ofheroic efforts on the part of the victim and her or his spouse.

Until now, mental health, police, clergy and educational officials have uniformly condemned child sexual abuse and called for strong legal and moral sanctions against the pedophiles who perpetuate such actions against children.

I say “until now” because that may be changing.A recently published study entitled “A Meta-analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples” (in the Psychological Bulletin, Volume 124, pages 22-53, 1998) asserts our concerns are overblown. The study purports to show that only a small portion of adult-child sexual contact is harmful. The authors assert that in many cases of adult-child sexual contact the child is a “willing” participant and — in some cases — actually initiates the liaison. Rind, Tromovitch and Bauserman go on to suggest the term “abuse” be removed from the scientific nomenclature unless actual harm can be demonstrated. 

Numerous flaws can be seen in the study, including the nature of the samples used, definitions of harm and unwarranted conclusions from the data.A firestorm of protest has erupted over the publication of the article by the American Psychological Association (APA), especially after the APA would not renounce the article following criticisms leveled by the Family Research Council and other groups, members of congress and even “Dr. Laura” (Schlessinger), the popular radio therapist.

Some observers believe this is the beginning of a “stealth campaign” by the APA to “normalize” pedophilia in much the same way as homosexuality was “normalized” by the same organization two decades ago. NAMBLA, the North American Man-Boy Love Association, which advocates laws to permit sex between adults and “consenting” children, touts the study on its web site under the heading “Positive and Beneficial Experiences.”

The slow erosion of what most reasonable people would have considered an impregnable social boundary has begun.
 

Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander, Executive Director Martin Cothran, Senior Associate Policy Analyst