# Who do so many men want to have sex with young boys? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 5, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371 "2006-04-05T03:54:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/41 "2006-04-05T15:24:12Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > And now for something completely different: what the _HECK_ is a full name and a full-color recognizable picture of this arrested man’s face doing in the local newspaper? > Don’t the media even await a decent trial anymore before they subject to public outrage both this man’s family and every elderly guy who slightly resembles him? > :eek: :rolleyes: I agree with your point wholeheartedly. However, seeing as he’s a public figure, it would be fairly easy to figure out who he is. I think this is one of the most unfair habits the press has. They do it to the regular Joes all the time. I’m sure countless lives have been ruined for this and other types of “heinous” crimes where they pointed the finger at the wrong guy. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/42 "2006-04-05T15:27:09Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I agree with your point wholeheartedly. However, seeing as he’s a public figure, it would be fairly easy to figure out who he is. I think this is one of the most unfair habits the press has. They do it to the regular Joes all the time. I’m sure countless lives have been ruined for this and other types of “heinous” crimes where they pointed the finger at the wrong guy. Also, he admitted his guilt. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/43 "2006-04-05T15:52:57Z")
**Kalhoun** , thanks for the info. Maybe this guy hired a spindoctor who advised him to “come clean”. I’m curious though; what would be the chances of an American childmolestor in similar circumstances, winning a lawsuit against the press? Suppose the childmolestor sued the paper for the suffering of his family, caused by a paper printing names, adresses, pictures, etc? Or is the general feeling that a childmolestor deserves everything he and his family get? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/44 "2006-04-05T16:02:32Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > **Kalhoun** , thanks for the info. Maybe this guy hired a spindoctor who advised him to “come clean”. > > I’m curious though; what would be the chances of an American childmolestor in similar circumstances, winning a lawsuit against the press? Suppose the childmolestor sued the paper for the suffering of his family, caused by a paper printing names, adresses, pictures, etc? > > Or is the general feeling that a childmolestor deserves everything he and his family get? Good question. Maybe one of the lawyers around here could find a precedent on that. Regardless of whether or not you’re found guilty, the damage must be irreparable. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/45 "2006-04-05T16:42:12Z")
I really expected this thread to be about NAMBLA, for some reason. OH, and > [@case sensitive](#): > > \*No offence to Samoans, transvestites, or those who weigh 300 pounds is intended or should be inferred. E&OE - as an accountant, I took offence at your post. Not really, but there was a glaring omission in your disclaimer, wasn’t there?😃 Finally, I feel compelled to point out to **suezeekay** that you wrongly ascribed the _Dateline_ program to CBS, when it’s an NBC program. I know, that was petty & pedantic. I said it was a compulsion, didn’t I? ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/46 "2006-04-05T16:52:58Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Good question. Maybe one of the lawyers around here could find a precedent on that. Regardless of whether or not you’re found guilty, the damage must be irreparable. Charge and arrest is public information, the press is free to publish it. Address maybe not. Pictures are OK if taken in a public place. Family information is questionable. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/47 "2006-04-06T06:19:05Z")
I don’t think this has been adressed yet (apolgies if it has) but one aspect of this dynamic to consider is that it isn’t so much a _sexual_ thing but a _power_ thing. Some of these men may not so much be attracted by having sex with young boys, but rather having some kind of power over them. Sexuality has traditionally been regarded as something emotionally powerful, what with so many taboos about it. I think that at least some men feel satisfaction in having to make someone else submit to them sexually. I know that some people get aroused by humiliating others. In this way, it can be a sexual attraction to the humilation, not the actual sex. I may be going in circles here, though. The point is, I don’t think all of them (pedophiles) are doing it for purely sexual reasons. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/48 "2006-04-06T08:58:48Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > I don’t think this has been adressed yet (apolgies if it has) but one aspect of this dynamic to consider is that it isn’t so much a _sexual_ thing but a _power_ thing. . We’re told so about any kind of sexual assault (involving children or not) but I fail to be convinced, and I’m still no sure on what this statement is based. I’ve read some time ago an article in which some specialist or another of child molestation divided child molesters in several categories. I don’t remember which exactly (it included things like the true pedophile who has a sexual attraction only for children, the opportunist, generally a father or close relative, etc…) but there was no “power-tripper” category. So, I assume that, at least, not everybody involved in the issue agree with this statement. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/49 "2006-04-06T09:13:36Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > I guess I’m judging partially by my own reactions - I simply can’t wrap my head around the desire for sex with children at all. The thought of having sex with someone missing secondary sexual characteristics is absolutely repulsive to me, and I sort of imagine that that’s kind of how it’s supposed to be. Isn’t that what the outward manifestations of puberty are for? . I’m not sure secondary sexual characteristics are that relevant. For instance, a man doesn’t display at all the secondary sexual characteristics an heterosexual man expects to find in a partner. Nevertheless, a sizeable proportion of men are homosexuals. So, I’m not sure why it would be more extraordinary for a man to be attracted to female children than to be attracted to adult males, solely based on secondary sexual characteristics. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/50 "2006-04-06T09:35:19Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > I’m not sure secondary sexual characteristics are that relevant. For instance, a man doesn’t display at all the secondary sexual characteristics an heterosexual man expects to find in a partner. Nevertheless, a sizeable proportion of men are homosexuals. So, I’m not sure why it would be more extraordinary for a man to be attracted to female children than to be attracted to adult males, solely based on secondary sexual characteristics. My only point is that I doubt pedophilia is all that common; I think people are naturally set up to look for sexually mature partners in most cases. Besides, being attracted to a sexually mature man is perfectly ordinary; it’s only out of the ordinary in the case of a man who is attracted to other men. Being attracted to women or men are both relatively ordinary characteristics; having a sexual attraction to children is not normal for any segment of the population. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/51 "2006-04-06T10:40:22Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Charge and arrest is public information, the press is free to publish it. Address maybe not. Pictures are OK if taken in a public place. Family information is questionable. Couldn’t it be considered slander if it isn’t true? Or do they protect themselves with the stock “alleged” disclaimer? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/52 "2006-04-06T11:43:26Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > having a sexual attraction to children is not normal for any segment of the population. …except for other children? ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/53 "2006-04-06T12:05:12Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > …except for other children? I wouldn’t say it’s all that normal for children to have sexual feelings towards anyone. That kind of thing is usually the result of sexual abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/54 "2006-04-06T12:32:56Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > I wouldn’t say it’s all that normal for children to have sexual feelings towards anyone. Apparently I was an abnormal kid. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371/55 "2006-04-06T12:51:37Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > … having a sexual attraction to children is not normal for any segment of the population. It is indeed ‘normal’ for paedophiles, and at last count, they did comprise a small segment of the population. Re: the notion that children experience sexual feelings. Yes, they do. Any parent will confirm that kids are **extremely** interested in the sensations that arise when their hand inadvertantly touches their genitals. 😃 I do doubt, however, that infants and pre-pubescent children can extrapolate the experience of their own genital/sensory pleasure to wish **another person** was included in their activities. THAT comes with ‘sexual maturity’ and the biological urge towards mating which happens at a much later age. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-so-many-men-want-to-have-sex-with-young-boys/351371.md?page=2)