fucking sick fucks.
Johns Hopkins needs to be shut down.
they're fucking pedophiles.
we won't accept the rebranding.
Are we are inadvertently blocking the pathway to
the prevention of child sexual exploitation and
abuse?
Rebecca L. Fix1, Stephane M. Shepherd2
1Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University
2Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology
[Sexual Offender Treatment, Volume 14 (2019), Issue 1]
Abstract
This opinion piece describes how negative reactions towards child sexual abuse at the individual,
interpersonal, and societal levels often block pathways to the prevention of child sexual abuse.
Using the case ofMark Salling, the former Glee actor who recently died by suicidefollowing charges
of child pornography possession, we argue thatsocietal fears and frustrations about child sexual
exploitation andabuse are often counter-productive and should be redirected towardsprevention
efforts. Accordingly, current and potential initiatives forprevention of child sexual abuse and child
sexual exploitation arediscussed.
Keywords: child pornography, suicide, stigma, sexual offender treatment
Minor attracted persons often experience major challenges when realizing their own deviant
pseudosexual and sexual urges. Moreover, minor attracted persons experience difficulties when
seeking help for their inappropriate attraction to children, in large part due to societal shaming
(Jahnke, 2018; Cantor & McPhail, 2016). Minor attracted persons are subjected to perceived and
actual negative responses from the community, even in situations where they pose a low risk for
offending (Grady, Levenson, Mesias, Kavanagh, & Charles, 2018). As such, the stigma associated
with possessing a sexual attraction to children may delay someone from seeking professional
services and/or result in self-harm.
There are well-documented, lifelong consequences that children face when they are sexually
abused (Lewis, McElroy, Harlaar, & Runyan, 2016). The consequences often extend beyond the
child - families, communities and institutions are also negatively impacted. As such, news of child
sexual exploitation and abuse can elicit anger and othering directed towards the individual who
engaged in the harmful behavior. Anger as a response is, however, a double-edged sword.
Responses of anger can motivate us to take more effective steps to protect children from abuse, or
they can have the opposite effect, and ultimately do more harm than good.
Mr. Mark Salling, the former 'Glee' actor died by suicide in early 2018 just weeks before he was to
be sentenced for possession of child pornography offenses. While some expressed compassion for
Mr. Salling, a torrent of social media messages appeared to celebrate his death with some
suggesting that that Mr. Salling and others like him deserve no mercy (Saunders, 2018). There was
further condemnation of Mr. Salling even one month after his death. A cartoon image of a person
dying the way that Mr. Salling had died, was posted online with a caption that read, "Rot in hell, perv
[sic]". Though it remains unclear if Mr. Salling sought out mental health services due to perceived
stigma about his attraction to children, support from a therapist may have prevented him from
engaging in lethal self-harm