If you believe this, would you allow a cured pedophile to babysit for your children? Of course not. Therefore, you really don't believe it.
My theory is, pedophiles are also psychopaths; unable to feel remorse, guilt or empathize with their victims and understand the pain they cause. Otherwise, would they do it in the first place? Which is why the scene in the park between Robin and Walter doesn't ring true.
Soy 'un hijo de la playa'
I think Walter just momentarily had empathy for Robin, and doesn't at all imply he wouldn't attempt anything in the future.
His attack later that night on the boy rapist served to show he only loathes himself now. People often hate those who remind them of themselves most.
That scene didn't serve to show he was "cured" in the least.
The final scene of him leaving with his new girlfriend, served to show he was only "trying" to start a new life, and leave everything in his past... But will he be able to? And thus is life.
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Which is wot I said - he wasn't "cured," but he was trying. He was trying to leave his past behind - but will he be able to?
The scene was not meant to show that he is cured, and no longer has the exact same urges as he always had, though.
Personally, I believe it to be like addiction. I mean that in the sense that there is no "cure" for addiction. This applies to all addictions. Drugs, Alcohol, food, etc. You can go to rehab, attend meetings, talk to friends and family, resist, but you will always be an addict. It's a daily struggle for the rest of your life.
shareCan you rehabilitate a socialist, or a murderer, or a lesbian? All are capable of changing, once they accept the error of their ways.
shareI also wonder what must be done in places and cultures where this type of thing actually is allowed even by law to happen and where there is no protection against it. How does one rehabilitate such societies?
The greatest trick the Devil has ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist!
Absolutely not all pedophiles are also psychopaths.
My theory is, pedophiles are also psychopaths; unable to feel remorse, guilt or empathize with their victims and understand the pain they cause. Otherwise, would they do it in the first place? Which is why the scene in the park between Robin and Walter doesn't ring true.
I can't imagine how could a pedophile change his orientation, make the urge to molest children go away, but - in case they're of an otherwise sound mind - they certainly can choose not to act on this urge. That, however, would probably require a more acute understanding of the damage they're doing to their victims (no, I don't think pedophiles are necessarily psychopaths - a lot of them have probably deluded themselves into thinking their conduct is not harmful or "wrong" and are otherwise capable of empathy). And that is the crux of the park scene - when the girl tells Bacon about her father molesting her, and starts crying, he is finally able to see his own reflection, objectively, in all its hideousness. It may not guarantee he'll never re-offend, but I figure his chances of staying out of trouble are certainly greatly improved.
But, yes, babysitter isn't exactly the proper line of work for a convicted child molester, even if he's seriously trying to go straight - it's like employing a recovering alcoholic as a bartender or something.
"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan
No they can't be cured. Paedophiles are prone to the same desires and attractions that draw you and I to our preferences. Just like you may like women with big booobs or I get turned on by redheads, paedos get turned on by minors. That's why so many of them re-offend despite knowing how immoral what they do is and the risk of loss of freedom. They can't control their desires. Imagine being told that the type of food you crave most is now off limits bc it could kill you. Despite the risks, you would still try to sneak a taste if you got the chance wouldn't you? That's how paedophiles feel. They get crucified for the same feelings we all have bc the object of their desires are an abnormal choice. That's why they need to be catalogued and separated from the rest of us, be it prison or a desert island. They can't be rehabilitated.
shareOf course not. We are not yet at a stage where we understand what causes, let alone what cures pedophilia (if there exists such a thing), but your theory is blatantly retarded. Not all pedophiles go out in the middle of the night to snatch kids in the neighborhood, there do exist men/women who are sexually attracted to children, yet don't enact upon it. Declaring them all as psychopaths is unabashed stupidity on your part.
Human beings tend to have all sorts of weird sex fantasies and strange turn-ons. Pedophilia is sadly, just another one of them. It doesn't make anyone a monster inherently, though. It's what you do with this condition that determines the quality of your character. The sad thing is, if pedophilia was more openly discussed in society, many potential molesters may be willing to go out and seek help and avoid becoming a predator in the process. Instead, we spend all our time pointing fingers and demonizing those who can't help but want something they shouldn't have. If we're willing to perhaps just listen, perhaps we'd actually be able to enact change.
I am sure you can but I am also sure I would never know for sure if they were rehabbed and therefore could never trust them.
Your analogy is flawed. You wouldn't hire a reformed pedophile because you have no aay of knowing which ones are truly reformed, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. A responsible parent is simply mitigating risk.
share