Child Molestation Is The Most Horrible Crime An Adult Can Commit

Child molestation is the most horrible crime an adult can commit. I believe this type of crime does more psychological damage to its victims than any other type of crime. Who are child sex offenders? Do they look like monsters? The fact is a child sex offender can be anyone. A child molester is often a person the victim's parents or the victims think they can trust. The devastation these people cause their victims is tragic. Their victims are certain to suffer a lifetime of emotional trauma. Child sex offenders should not get a second chance. They should get life in prison for their first offense.

More than one-half of offenders (about sixty percent) are family acquaintances, such as baby sitters, neighbors or other family friends. Less than one-half of perpetrators (about thirty percent) are relatives of the child, and a very small percentage of perpetrators are strangers to the child. Both men and women can be child sexual offenders. Women have been the perpetrators in twenty percent of cases that have been reported. (Whealin)

There is no way to know who these people are just by looking at them, but there are signs to watch for. Pedophiles are usually friends of the victim's parents, or they might know the victim from church, schools, or social events. Child molesters give their victims gifts, take them places, and have hobbies or interests a child would like. (Pedophile Characteristics)

Every one square mile of land in the United States has a child sexual offender living in it. One child molester will abuse between twenty and sixty children before they are caught, and over three hundred in a lifetime. In California the state has lost track of thousands of registered sex offenders. (Child Safety)

These mentally ill individuals do not care or worry about what they have done psychologically to their victims. The child molester hurts their victims physically, emotionally and mentally. Their victims have to live a lifetime with the images of what has been done to them in their minds.

In fact, child molestation is so serious in the way it effects its victims, that the offender should be locked away forever for their first offense.

There are two types of child sexual offenders; they are the preferential child molester and the situational child molester. The preferential child molester is the worst kind. They sexually desire children and seek children sexually their whole life. The situational child molester usually has one victim; they do not have a sexual attraction toward children. The victim of the situational abuser was sexually abused because he or she was there at a critical time. (Kelly)

Sexually abused children may exhibit some of the following symptoms. They include depression, sexual behavior, aggression, hostility, fear, problems in schools, social withdrawal, poor self-esteem, and post traumatic stress disorder. There are differences in the symptoms between males and females. It has been found that males often externalize their symptom, while females internalize their symptoms. Males tend to act out aggressively, have antisocial behaviors, and show a greater degree of inappropriate sexual behavior. Females exhibit more symptoms of fear, social withdrawal, depression, and inhibition. (Cillo)

The sexually abused child may have conflicting feeling about the abuser. The abuser might be someone they think they can trust. It is possible for the victim to love and hate the abuser at the same time. The victim can also feel responsible for what happened to them. Sometimes having this kind of emotional confusion prevents the child from telling others about this horrible sexual act. (Long) Sexually abused children may blame the non-offending family members for not protecting them against this abuse. Often, children who have been sexually abused feel guilt or shame. These feeling can continue throughout the victim's adult life. (Jordan)

Research shows that twenty percent of sexually abused victims will suffer from long-term effects. In the United States, five percent of the female population will experience significant mental health problems as adults, due to sexual abuse experienced as children. (Jordan) Possible long-term effects of child sexual abuse if the victim is not properly treated, are PTSD/or anxiety, (PTSD is a form of anxiety that comes after a stressful or frightening event) depression, low self esteem, substance abuse, eating disorders, and suicidal tendencies. (Whealin)

We need to protect our children. We cannot afford to give these child sexual offenders a second chance. The well being of children should be more important to society. When a child sexual offender is found guilty of abusing one child he/she should be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In the past, child molestation was considered a family problem. This problem was handled within the home and was not reported. (Child Sexual)

The criminal justice system has addressed this problem more in the last decade. In recent years mental health professionals have recognized the life time mental health problems caused to the victims of child molestation. (Child Sexual)

People have many different views on the appropriate punishment for a convicted child sex offender. In California over half of all paroled sex offenders re-offend or violate their parole within one year of their release from prison. (Renee) Governor Pete Wilson signed legislation on September 27, 1997 to require chemical castration of twice-convicted child molesters. (Punishment) I agree with the chemical castration of child molesters, but why are we giving these criminals a second chance to mentally or physically hurt another child?

Megan's Law was signed into