Pedophilia is a very difficult topic to talk about. People have such strong emotional reactions. So we thank you for returning to this hard but necessary conversation on pedophilia. Today we are going to be looking at some of the interesting and highly informative information that recent studies have revealed about the minds of pedophiles. We understand that this isn’t a pleasant topic, but we promise you will come away from this with something to think about.
Dr. James Cantor (PhD) is a clinical psychologist and research specialist who is considered a leading expert on pedophilia. Dr. Cantor’s work was featured on the documentary I Pedophile, which revealed the struggle and suffering that people with pedophilia live with on a daily basis. However, one of the more fascinating aspects of his work is where it reveals the differences between the brains of people with ‘normalized’ sexual desires and people with pedophilia.
According to Dr. Cantor, pedophilia is not a choice, and not something that a person can control. It is caused by a developmental disorder, which results in a literal cross-wiring in the brain, much the same way that addiction will rewire the brain. Additionally, his research has revealed traits specific to pedophiles, like differences in height, IQ, and left-handedness, all of which he says support the theory that pedophilia is not a condition that a person could ever choose for themselves.
This argument has been supported by research recently published in the scientific journal Biology Letters.
The research, which was led by Jorge Ponseti at Germany’s University of Kiel, reveals that pedophiles’ brains respond in exactly the same way as ‘normal’ adults, with the key difference being that the stimulus is children rather than other adults. What does this mean? The research paper explains it this way:
“The human brain contains networks that are tuned to face processing, and these networks appear to activate different processing streams of the reproductive domain selectively: nurturing processing in the case of child faces, and sexual processing in the case of sexually preferred adult faces. This implies that the brain extracts age-related face cues of the preferred sex that inform appropriate response selection in the reproductive domains: nurturing in the case of child faces and mating in the case of adult faces.”
In other words, the sight of a child’s face usually causes a ‘nurturing’ response in an adult’s brain, while for a pedophile, the sight of a child’s face causes a sexual response. When the results were published, Dr. Cantor went on the record to say that he was very pleased with the study, as it served to confirm everything he had already suspected.
So if it isn’t a lifestyle choice, and is instead the result of a developmental disorder, can it be cured? Can the brain be rewired to accommodate a more normal sexual response? It seems not. There is very little hope of a cure, but there are treatments that do seem to be helping. Join us next time, when we will be continuing this dialogue on pedophilia, and talking about how those who struggle with this disorder may be able to seek treatments that help them overcome their urges.
Until then, if you or a loved one have been accused of a sex crime in Michigan, whether it’s sexual assault of a minor, molestation or rape, the skilled attorneys at The Kronzek Firm are here to help you. Our history of successful defenses throughout Michigan is a testament to our hard work, commitment and dedication to our clients and their freedom. Call us today at 866-766-5245. We can help!