Pedophile peer-support forums

Pedophile peer-support forums (or pedophile support forums) are internet message boards and virtual communities that offer peer-support to people who are attracted to children. Such forums are distinct from message boards dedicated to the sharing of child pornography.

History

Research has reported on peer-support forums for people who are attracted to children since 1999. Academic literature regarding online forums defines peer-support as a simple structure that facilitates support between like-minded individuals, instead of support provided by institutional or therapeutic environments. Although the word "pedophile" is regularly used to refer to the users of such forums, they also include people who are attracted to pubescent children (hebephiles).

Such forums are clustered into different subcultures, each with its own respective language and moral values. Participants of such forums usually avoid sharing pornographic media or discussing potentially illicit activities. According to a number of communications analyses, discussions on such forums usually center around sexual fantasies and personal accounts of non-sexual interactions with children.

The process of providing peer-support to people who are attracted to children has been considered by a number of researchers as a theoretically promising measure to prevent child sexual abuse. Some pedophile support forums discourage or ban discussions related to the morality of sexual relations between adults and minors, while others do not.

Usage motivations

A significant number of people who participate in such forums do so to receive emotional support (80%), and a smaller number do so to receive informational support. A proportion of 81% do so in order not to feel alone, and 88% reported providing emotional or informational support to others. Avoiding isolation and discussing ways of improving one's quality of life are also motivations for frequenting support message boards, as well as sharing experiences.

Forum users have also used online chat rooms to exchange tangible support, such as money and housing.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pedersen, Mikkel Rask (2022), "Exploring online peer-support forums for people sexually attracted to minors as platforms to prevent child sexual abuse", in Stelzmann, Daniela; Ischebeck, Josephine (eds.), Child Sexual Abuse and the Media, Nomos Publishing House, pp. 279–302, doi:10.5771/9783748904403-279, ISBN 978-3-7489-0440-3, retrieved 2024-05-13
  2. ↑ Jimenez-Arista, Laura E.; Reid, Duncan B. (2023). "Realization, Self-View, and Disclosure of Pedophilia: A Content Analysis of Online Posts". Sexual Abuse. 35 (2): 214–240. doi:10.1177/10790632221099256. ISSN 1079-0632.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Holt, Karen; Liggett, Roberta; Holt, Thomas J.; Lee, Jin R. (2020). "Examining Self-Reported Physical Contact With Minors Among Pedophile Support Forum Users". International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 64 (4): 299–314. doi:10.1177/0306624X19873084. ISSN 0306-624X.
  4. 1 2 Jones, Sarah J.; Ó Ciardha, Caoilte; Elliott, Ian A. (2021). "Identifying the Coping Strategies of Nonoffending Pedophilic and Hebephilic Individuals From Their Online Forum Posts". Sexual Abuse. 33 (7): 793–815. doi:10.1177/1079063220965953. ISSN 1079-0632. PMC 8419289. PMID 33084517.
  5. 1 2 Bekkers, L. M. J.; Leukfeldt, E. R.; Holt, T. J. (2024). "Online Communities for Child-Attracted Persons as Informal Mental Health Care: Exploring Self-Reported Wellbeing Outcomes". Sexual Abuse. 36 (2): 158–184. doi:10.1177/10790632231154882. ISSN 1079-0632.
  6. 1 2 3 Roche, Kailey; Stephens, Skye; Moss, Sarah; Seto, Michael C. (2022-12-01). "Online forum use in child attracted persons". The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. 31 (3): 409–421. doi:10.3138/cjhs.2022-0007. ISSN 1188-4517.
  7. ↑ Jahnke, Sara; Blagden, Nicholas; Hill, Laura (2022). "Attitudes Toward Labels Among People Who are Sexually Attracted to Children". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 51 (8): 4125–4139. doi:10.1007/s10508-022-02331-6. ISSN 0004-0002. PMC 9663395. PMID 36175817.
  8. ↑ Vermeulen, Gert (Ed ); Vermeulen, Gert; Byn, Laura; De Coensel, Stéphanie (2022). Seksuele autonomie, normativiteit, exploitatie en deviantie: Criminologische en juridische verkenningen. Oud Turnhout: Gompel & Svacina. pp. 539–561. ISBN 978-94-6371-411-2.
  9. ↑ Tremblay, Pierre (2002). Social Interactions Among Pedophiles (PDF). Montreal, Québec: Les Cahiers de Recherches Criminologiques.