The primary prevention of child sexual abuse: Individual responsibility for adults attracted to children

Many adults have a sexual attraction to children. Most adults have secondary sexual attractions to teenagers, with 22% of men having secondary sexual attraction to prepubescent children. All adults are capable of sexual attraction to children, in some way, in some form, and all adults are capable of sexual abuse of children under the right/wrong conditions. It is about time that adults took responsibility for their own sexual drives for children, and owned up to them, instead of denying them and pointing the finger elsewhere.

The Bible is widely misunderstood on the issue of sexual abuse prevention. It says in Matthew 5:27-28 KJV: 

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Most people focus on the "look" part, and don't get the message. Christ, in the context of adult attraction to children, was discussing adult sexual entitlement. The Greek root word translated "lust" is επιθυμέω (Latin: epithumeo) and refers not to ordinary sexual desire for children, but to sexual desire to the point of taking the first steps to approach a child. Sexual entitlement of any kind, including adult sexual entitlement, is a moral crime evidenced openly, by the offenders behavior in terms of approaching an inappropriate target. Anyone other than a man's wife is an inappropriate target to approach. When that approach is perceived by the child, it becomes adult fornication, meaning child sexual abuse, even if that approach was only in the form of a flirtatious gesture (as was my past crimes).

It is okay to look the look towards children, or think the think about children, no matter who you are. It is not okay to approach the approach towards a child, or do the deed with them. Adult attraction to children is normal, and okay to indulge in using solo masturbation. It just is not okay to have sexual relations with a child.

In the Early Church, adults who confessed sexual attraction to children to church elders or deacons were told to masturbate to those fantasies. Masturbation was neither unlawful nor stigmatized in Ancient Israel and the Early Church, as Onan's sin was not masturbation, but refusing the responsibility of inheriting his brother's wife.

Sexual thoughts about children pop up in all adults. The trick is to allow yourself to think about sex with a child, and allow that thought to pass. That makes the individual adult more aware of their sex drive for children, and thus, makes them more able to control that sex drive towards children. Repressing anything makes it control you, and that includes sexual thoughts about children. Without masturbatory fantasy about children, you may be surprised when you are left alone with a child.

Just imagine you. Now, imagine you being alone with a child you find attractive physically, namely an older teenager of the opposite sex. You are in that room, and you are alone with that child. Men can imagine a teenage girl with a crop top and short shorts. Nobody will see a thing. What do you want to do? If that sexual need is taken care of beforehand, not much. But, these sort of circumstances is how sexual abuse usually occurs - when adults are unprepared for being alone with a child they find attractive, the repressed desire comes out sideways. So, let it out on the bed, or in the shower, beforehand so that you are fully aware of that desire, and thus can control yourself better.

The depraved and decadent, defiled adult fornicators who sexually abuse and hate children will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them BURN in everlasting torrents of Hell-fire.