Treating Pedophiles: Background information when reading Tiger, Tiger

Treating Pedophiles

This article relates to Tiger, Tiger

Margaux Fragoso says in the afterword of Tiger, Tiger that one of the reasons she wrote the book was to bring attention to the need for treatment of pedophiles. The current system focuses on the treatment of the child victims, and punishment for the perpetrators. As a victim herself, she believes the best thing would be to find a way to treat the pedophile so there would be no, or at least fewer, victims.

A web search of the U.S National Library of Medicine demonstrates the lack of attention to this area of study.  A search for 'treatment pedophilia' only garners 350 hits, while 'treatment schizophrenia' has over 50,000.

In an article in Time magazine, experts explain that someone who seeks treatment is likely to be told to see legal counsel before they begin, since therapists in 48 states and D.C. are legally bound to report anyone they even suspect of having molested a child.

There are treatments that work, to greater or lesser degrees, for those who wish to find help.

If you would like to educate yourself on the warning signs, both for what to look for in possible offenders as well as children at risk, visit StopItNow or the National Association to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Children.

Filed under Medicine, Science and Tech

This "beyond the book article" relates to Tiger, Tiger. It originally ran in April 2011 and has been updated for the January 2012 paperback edition. Go to magazine.