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from Clinical/Therapeutic Issues
On Positive Reports of Adult-Child Relationships:
Taking a Closer Look
by Dale O'Leary
In the fall of 1999, NARTH reported on a major
study in the American Psychological Association's
Psychological Bulletin (1) which found little or
no apparent harm in consensual pedophile
relationships between men and boys. Clearly, there
had to be more to the story.
A study by Doll et al (1) produced findings which
at first glance, seem to fit the Psychological
Bulletin analysis. Of 1,001 homosexual and
bisexual men surveyed, a disturbing 42% reported a
history of sexual abuse--and only 39% of those men
said they viewed the experience negatively at time
of contact and again at the time of the interview.
Indeed, 27% reported that they had viewed the
experience positively at the time of contact. The
longer the pedophile relationship lasted, the more
it was likely to be remembered positively.
However, Doll et al caution that positive
self-reports should not be interpreted to mean
that the experience was actually positive. As
they explain:
"...many of our participants evaluated the contact
neutrally or positively either at the time of the
experience or as an adult. Clinicians have
suggested that these responses may represent a
reframing of the experience in a more positive
light in order to deal with a potentially
overwhelming negative experience" (2).
Another consideration omitted by the authors of
the Psychological Bulletin article is the finding
that homosexually active men who were molested
are, in adulthood, subsequently more likely to be
attracted to underage boys and to engage in sexual
relations with them.
A 1992 study (2) looked at a random sample of 750
men, of whom 15.6% had experienced one or more
unwanted sexual contacts (almost all of which was
male-on-male) before their 17th birthday. Of
those men who had experienced longterm sexual
abuse, 11% were currently sexually interested in
males younger than 13 years, and 8% had had sexual
contact in adulthood with a male under the age of
thirteen.
In addition, 23% were currently sexually
interested in a male 13-15 years old, and 19% had
had contact in adulthood with a male aged 13-15.
In contrast, none of those who had been free of
abuse (or experienced only short-term abuse) had
been involved with male children under the age of
thirteen.
Commenting on the studies, Dr. Joseph Nicolosi
observed, "It is not uncommon for victims to
'identify with the aggressor.' Therefore the fact
that victims sometimes defend the system that
victimized them--or even follow in the adult
victimizer's footsteps--should not surprise us. In
reality, of course, such a childhood relationship
was a terrible betrayal of trust by the father
figure the boy clearly wanted and needed."
(1) Rind, Bruce; Tromovitch, Philip; and
Bauserman, Robert (Temple U. Dept. of Psychology,
Phila., PA), "A Meta-analytic Examination of
Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using
College Samples. Psychological Bulletin, 1998
(July), vol. 124 (1), 22-53.
(2) Doll, L., B. Barholow & J. Harrison, (1992)
"Self-Reported Childhood and Adolescent Sexual
Abuse Among Adult Homosexual and Bisexual Men,"
Child Abuse & Neglect 16: 855-864.
(3) Bagley, C., M. Wood & L.Young (1994) "Victim
to abuser: Mental health and behavioral sequels of
child sexual abuse in a community survey of young
adult males," Child Abuse & Neglect 18, 8:
683-697.
Updated: 8 February 2008
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