Bob,

Dress is an example of sexualisation. It is not the only manner in which this occurs. Entertainment media also a contributor. l suspect additional factors play to it in Russia. It wouldn't hurt to contemplate all the contributing factors of sexualisation. Is it possible, for example, that it is not a problem in primitive cultures due to absence of, or mininal, sexualisation?

The absence of awarness of sexual abuse in the animal kingdom may have something to do with our perception. Cats and dogs don't consider socio-sexual standards. They do it when biology says so. Human biology says so at a point that is deemed socially inappropriate. Maybe the existence of this sexual predation reflects humanity's place in the world of animals.

Actually Trade215 you are quite wrong on the animal front many animals seem to suffer simular sexual dysfunction and perversion as humans. Often sociable cohesion is built on extremely casual sex even in high animals BOBOs for instance.
Peds should be treated as a mental condition which it plainly is.

R0bert - your comment about sharing pictures - these pictures were taken by someone abusing the child in the picture, and the humiliation of knowing there is a record of the abuse, that freaks are still taking pleasure from these images long after the abuse has stopped exacerbates teh damage originally done. Keeping in mind, it is the emotion damage that is important, not really the physical impact.

I would say that the issue of age of consent is not really what is most important here. Pre-pubescent or post-pubescent is dependant on the individual but the law needs a finite line drawn in the sand and this is where it always falls down. Pedophilia relates to the abuse of children, therefore pre-pubescent, any thing else is incest or rape or whatever, but it has a different clarification and has a different motivation / mental illness. There is a portion of pedophiles who are not attracted specifically to children, but are oportunist and who would basically have a go at anything. There is another portion who are generally more attracted to children. I'm sure there are other varieties and twists.

Once they HAVE committed an offense, then there shoulld be no suspended sentance, they should go to gaol where they are kept safely out of reach of those most vulnerable. The law is a weak and useless tool, not only on this issue but on many others, and if it is to be used as a threat or deterant then it is useless if criminals know that a 10 year sentance means 2 years in reality.

At least ATTEMPTING prevention is a brilliant idea. This problem seems to have escalated with more comunication and ways for these pervs to comunicate with each other and re-inforce themselves with each others support. Offering a helpline to perpetrators when they are tempted might turn them around. It might not, but it hasn't been tried yet and anything is worth a try.

Jcl,
The issue of what constitutes child abuse becomes important, because resources that can be spent on reducing child abuse are not infinite. In terms of child abuse, most child abuse (including sexual abuse) occurs in the home or within a family, and sexual abuse is the least common form of child abuse.

My concern is that society becomes almost hysterical about paedophilia, such that any male / child contact is regarded as paedophilia, or potential paedophilia. I understand that this is now an issue in recruiting young male teachers, and it is a reason why so many male teachers have left teaching. They feel that they could be accused of carrying out paedophilia simply by comforting a child that has fallen over in the playground and is crying.

So the danger is to apply too much attention to child sexual abuse, and the other 90% of child abuse is overlooked, and another danger is that males will be driven away from any contact with children, due to public hysteria over paedophilia which seems to occur in only a very small % of adults.

OK, I didn't articulate my point very well in the last post. Damn work getting in the way....

The article by Barbara Biggs talked about a possible prevention via a caller helpline support system.

My problem with that is, while I think it is a very good idea, that there is different motivation for different types of abusers. Some types of abusers may respond, but the data on whether or not it works will be unclear as it all seems to get lumped in together under one label of "pedophile".

While sexual abuse may be the least common form of abuse (and I say "may" because it is difficult to get accurate statistics on child abuse as its very nature is secretive) it is one of the more difficult to deal with because it is actually a perversion and a mental illness.

Public hysteria notwithstanding (though you have a good point about it being used as a tool in divorce - which is completely dispicable -not only because of the damage it does to the family involved, it also creates a "cry wolf" situation where someone with a genuine complaint is less likely to be believed at a later date) other forms of child neglect are easier to detect (although still very difficult) and so often are easier to prevent.

Firstly, a few comments on what BOAZ_David said:

This up-to-date table of world-wide ages of consent lists Japan as 16/18. (http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm)

Section 47a of the Victorian Crimes Act 1958 does not allow for men to be married to girls down to the age of 10 - what it states is that a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16 is a punishable offence.

Also, I'm not sure which part of the legislation allows consensual acts between adults and children provided that there are 'reasonable grounds for believing they are married'.

A major problem with dealing with this touchy issue is that there is often a great deal of misinformation that is publicised.

A large proportion of child sex offenders were themselves abused as children, so evidence would suggest that the problem will only get worse in time. Attempts to reduce its impact are vital, and any attempts to 'rehabilitate' (for want of a better word) possible perpetrators before they ruin people's lives should be applauded.