Have you heard about internet pornography? If you haven’t, then you’ve probably not used the internet your entire life. For every person who has tried to surf the web, check email, or simply research on something useful, there’s almost a one hundred percent chance of stumbling on an internet porn site.

Pornography these days is permanently attached to the internet. This is primarily caused by two factors. One is the fact that the demand for porn is very great and that the World Wide Web is the best place to spread and share it. In fact, people these days are slowly thinking that the practice of viewing, sharing, and producing pornographic material is okay. Every second, there are almost thirty thousand people viewing pornography websites at the same time. This means that this industry is becoming a big business for those who produce and distribute them.

For casual observers, this trend is probably a normal consequence of the convenience brought by the internet technology. However, it’s another case if children are involved.

The advancement of communication and information through the web has allowed the emergence of another breed of criminals – child pornographers and offenders. Before the web was born, there was little known information about the extent of child pornography. Most cases involved recording and taking photos of child victims forced to do sexual acts. But today, the crime has alarmingly evolved. Child pornographic material these days are not limited to private collections. Pedophiles and predators are exchanging and sharing this stuff for their sexual pleasure.

With child pornography, the children who are used as the subjects for the material are not the only victims. Minors who unknowingly view them over the internet become victims as well. Statistics show that the average age of a child who gets his first exposure to pornography is 11. Additionally, almost eighty percent of teens aged 15-17 become exposed to hard-core pornographic material.

Exposure to pornography can result to grossly negative consequences for children and teens. Not only will they become influenced by what they see, it can also lead to confusion and stress. While there are several parental software and programs out there to prevent pornographic sites from appearing in the desktop, many of them are still not a hundred percent effective when it comes to totally preventing children and teens from viewing porn.

While adult pornography can well be accepted morality wise, exposing and using children for the same purpose is absolutely wicked. The people who prey at the innocence of kids for pornographic purposes should be punished. Those who fancy children as sexual objects should also have the same and equal punishment. No matter how much they justify their sexual fetish towards children, it is simply not right. It does not only violate every right of a child, it is also a gross violation of the laws of God and morality.

Even though the United States is a strong and aggressive proponent of anti child trafficking campaigns, it is still not immune from the increasing number of victims trafficked and abused annually. In fact, this country is a major destination for trafficked children and minors.

It is true that American children are less likely to be victims of trafficking compared to the children in Africa and Asia. But this alone doesn’t tell us that America is not guilty of tolerating the crime. Based on the most recent estimate, there are almost 20,000 people trafficked every year in the United States. Majority of these people are women and children. However, a great portion of this number also involves women and children who are not American. Some come as far away as Asia and Africa but majority are from the neighboring Latin countries.

What are these trafficking victims doing in this country? Simple – they are used by criminals for furtherance of their own interests such as prostitution and forced labor. Even though it is clear enough that the problem is prevalent even in this very developed country, it seems like there hasn’t been any serious attention and measures to address the problem. Or perhaps child traffickers are simply way ahead of law enforcement and the government.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 is a prominent example of a law that was made by the government to combat trafficking. However, its provisions are primarily aimed at providing benefits, services, and healing for victims. There is really no clear-cut solution as to ending the problem by pulling out the roots of it.

Nonetheless, the State Department has been closely watching child trafficking since the early 90s. During the first few years of monitoring, the focus was mainly on women and children who are trafficked for prostitution or any other related sexual crimes. However, the trade itself has significantly evolved through the years. Today, inter-agency and cross-border efforts have been strictly monitoring reports of child trafficking for a wide variety of purposes which includes forced labor in sweatshops and factories, domestic service, and commercial sex and prostitution.

Nowadays, trafficking in general knows no boundaries. Of all the victims, children are the most devastated. Most of the victims are not able to live the kind of lives they deserve. Although healing is very possible, others aren’t simply meant to survive the ordeal. Not only does trafficking put child victims away from their homes, they are also deprived of their right to choose what they want for their future. Additionally, it’s kind of sad that child trafficking obviously exists in America. It is frustrating to know that for many victims who are trafficked to this country, America is not the land of promise anymore.

Who would have thought that child trafficking is a domestic issue here in the United States? For majority of Americans, talking about child trafficking involves children in other countries who are traded and forced to work for sex. Perhaps one in only then Americans realizes that the problem is actually prevalent in this part of the world.

Child trafficking in America, just like other countries, is considered big business. However, there is a great deal of difference when it comes to the nature of abuse children face. In most third world nations, victims are usually placed in hard labor camps and factories or become child prostitutes in brothels and prostitution houses. In the United States on the other hand, majority of the victims are trafficked by way of prostitution. Most of them are not even forced to do it. Rather, they are manipulated and deceived.

There are a great number of teens and some are even children who roam the streets at night to look for a living. They do it by offering themselves as sex partners. For many of us, we call it prostitution. But for most of them, it’s the only way to survive. One big problem we have in this country is the fact that most of us seem to consider seeing these young lives carry out their trade. But what we don’t know is that these young teens and children are actually abused. Although it seems like they like what they’re doing, they are actually given no choice.

A lot of the stories about these ruined lives spring from the cycle of abuse. The question is why are they in the streets? The root of it all comes from the family that raised them. Most teenage and child prostitutes in the United States are from violent family backgrounds. A child that grew in the sights of a violent father or mother may likely run away from home and seek refuge somewhere else. Children who are caught in between divorce and domestic abuse are left with no choice but to stay away and live on their own. Teens that are constantly abused by a member of the family frequently resort to drug and alcohol abuse to find temporary refuge. These are the unfortunate things that result to making these very same young people to become much more vulnerable to future abuse and exploitation.

Being away from home will add to the vulnerability of an already weak child or teen. This is also the time where offenders, criminals, and manipulative individuals like pimps come in. They use the child’s weakness to their advantage. By doing so, they are able to project an image of a superhero – the one who will save the victim from further misfortunes and abuse. However, this is really not the case. What happens next is the victim of domestic abuse becomes a victim all over again, this time from the harsh reality of prostitution and substance abuse in the streets.

Prostitution is a kind of child trafficking. Thousands of children are trafficked and transferred from different states each year. They are groomed by pimps to provide clients with sex services. In return, they are either given a share of the pay or just given drugs to satisfy their addiction.

If we ask the question, are these young people doing it with their own will? The answer is no. Most of them are doing it because they are left with no choice. Others meanwhile are forced and deceived for the promise of money and drugs, or in other words, a chance of survival.

Now we should therefore understand that sex trafficking is not only found in poor and impoverished countries. If you see young girls donning shiny clothes, high heels, and heavy make up at night while you’re on your way home, then trafficking is part of your neighborhood.

The McMartin preschool child sexual abuse trial made a lot of history. Not only did it become one of the longest and most expensive criminal trial in the history of the United States, it also attracted tons of media and public attention. After all the wrongful convictions, pain, suffering, costs, and loss, it’s unfortunate to know that majority of those involved have never recovered and live on normal lives again.

The seven people who were charged with child sexual abuse and assault became financially broke. Not only was the McMartin school closed, many other preschools also followed suit, fearing that the same fate might happen to them. This landmark case even became a precedent. Immediately after the first accusations were publicized, the same type of allegations and prosecutions swept through the entire country. It seemed like the McMartin case was te sparkplug of them all.

And all of this is largely because of the media reaction. The kind of reporting and coverage done by the press was so biased that it became evident the McMartins will be convicted. But of course, it was known in the end that they were innocent. All the accusations were a product of mass hysteria and manipulation.

Based on the experience on this case, we can see how influential the media and the common public sentiment can be. In fact, when the trial began, millions of Americans have started to believe that their children are already abused without them knowing it. Of course, that kind of sentiment was proven to be false in the end.

Child molestation and sexual abuse is a serious crime, that’s a fact. However, the gravity of the crime should not be considered as a barometer to assume that an accused is already guilty of it. We of all people should remember that due process of law and the rights of the accused must be upheld in a democratic country. Even if it is so disturbing to just even think that there are people who consider sexually exploiting children as fun and gratifying, not all of those accused are guilty and evil.

Compared to the number of validated claims of sexual abuse, false allegations are comprised of a very small number. However, this doesn’t tell us that we are ought to ignore it. In fact, more and more people are becoming victims of false allegations of child molestation each year. Although there will always be a greater number of those who are actually abused, the number of children fabricating their stories is also disturbingly rising.

While some falsely accused persons escape and prove the allegations as wrong, there are still others who are unfortunately convicted. The recipe for wrongful conviction is composed of several related events and scenes that have been practiced and tolerated by the criminal justice system.

Formula for Conviction

Complain from the alleged child victim – the major ingredient for conviction is the accusation coming directly from the supposed child victim. As soon as a child tells someone that she’s been abused, rest assured a public outcry will soon follow. But what if the child was actually forced to accuse someone? What if the accusation isn’t true? For the wrongly accused, the burden of proving otherwise is on his side. He has to prove to the court and to everybody else that he did not sexually abused the child. But who would believe him?

Report of the alleged abuse by anyone who is required by law to report any known case of child abuse – every citizen of this country is require to report to the proper authorities any suspicion of child abuse, be it substantiated or unsubstantiated. Since the law also protects the ones who report from counter litigation and harrassment cases, everyone, even those who have a revengeful motive against someone can easily manipulate a child and make up a child molestation story.

Biased investigation – whenever a case of child molestation or sexual abuse is filed,  certain agencies of the government like child protection offices or services conduct  an investigation. But the problem here is that these offices are created so as to protect children. Thus, their sentiment is towards the alleged child victims. What happens therefore is that even though an investigation is conducted, the outcome is always the same – the accused must be prosecuted.

Equally biased medical report – medical personnel who examine alleged child victims are also part of the child saving industry. Therefore, it is common for them to alter the results of any medical examination just to connect and link the accused to the molestation.
Syndrome evidence – the syndrome evidence is presented in trial by a child psychiatrist. It is a way of convincing the court that the child actually manifests all the emotional, physical, and behavioral signs of being sexually abused. As soon as this is presented, the falsely accused meets dead end.

The things we enumerated are a sign on how bent the justice system is when it comes to false allegations of child sexual abuse. Yes, crimes committed against children are the most inhumane and immoral, but it doesn’t mean that all accused are guilty. There are other people who have different motives in falsely accusing another person and this angle must be taken into account in court. The child saving industry has a very big influence in falsely convicting the accused. But that should not be the case. Every person still has the right to an equal and fair trial, no matter how grave and severe the crime is.

The question of admissiblity is never in doubt – it’s more of a fact. The criminal justice system in the United States is perhaps the most credible and fair in the entire world. After all, this country is the epitome of democracy and the upholding of constitutional rights. But when it comes to cases of child sexual abuse, the entire system becomes biased and unfair.

Most of the states allow the testimony of an expert witness, say a child psychiatrist, to determine the guilt of a person accused of child sexual abuse or molestation. In many instances, the testimony is comprised of a sworn statement in writing that the alleged victim is actually suffering from CSAAS or Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome. This syndrome is a sum of all the observable traits of an abuse child. As soon as the “expert” witness proves in court that the alleged child victim possesses the traits, then she was definitely abused, leading to the conviction of the accused.

The admissibility of CSAAS in court can be admissible in court. However, it should not be regarded as the only weighing or determining factor in convicting the accused. Here are some reasons why:

1. Although CSAAS can be medically substantiated, the absence of the same will never tell who the perpetrator is. This means that if there is no semen, DNA, fingerprint, or any physical evidence linking the accused to the alleged victim, then there’s no use for CSAAS. Though the child may have been abused, the suspect can be anyone.

2. CSAAS is a flawed theory. It theorizes that if a child shows behavioral patterns as determined, then she is definitely abused. But the question is what those behavioral patterns are? For instance, when a child often cries, she must have been abused. If the child becomes withdrawn and isolated, she’s been abused. If she can’t sleep, she’s also abused. Now if we look closely, these signs are very vague – which means that any kid who encounter these issues cannot be generalized as having been sexually abused. The cause may be different. For instance, children who cry a lot may have emotional problems while those who become suddenly withdrawn may be experience bullying at school.

What we are trying to show here is the fact that CSAAS is not based on pure scientific proof. It is merely a summation of all traits and signs that most child victims of sexual abuse manifest. Because of this reality, CSAAS alone should not be regarded as a very influential factor in determining the guilt of a person falsely accused of child molestation or sexual abuse.

Unfortunately, majority of the states today still consider it as strong evidence in convicting people accused of child sexual abuse. While crimes committed against children must be given a severe punishment, it should not also serve as a determining factor of bias. We all should remember that any person accused of a crime, no matter how grave or heinous the crime is, should still be considered innocent (thus, must be given due process) unless proven otherwise in the court of law.

What are the instances of children and teens falsely accusing a person of sexual abuse or molestation?

There are a lot of circumstances when children and even teens make up stories to accuse a person of sexually abusing or molesting them. While we cannot deny the fact that thousands of minors are sexually abused each year, there is a certain number of the accusations filed in court that are either unsubstantiated or just a false allegation. By discussing the events that result to wrong accusations, we are not telling the people that the problem of child sexual abuse does not really exist. It actually does. However, not all of the accusations are true. And sad to say, not all of those convicted are guilty.

Instances That Lead to False Accusations:

1. Child sex abuse allegations in divorce are very common occurrence in the United States. Couples who end their marriages in a bitter way struggle to agree on the custody of their children. As a result, wives use their own children as leverage to gain custody. They force their children to accuse their father of sexual abuse. As a result, right of custody is given to the mother.

2. False allegations of sexual abuse and molestation also happen when children hear about it from fellows kids, be it their friends, classmates, or relatives. Kids at a young age love to emulate. As soon as they get to hear about their friend who was sexually abused, they can also falsely accuse someone and tell others that they too have been abused.

3. Children need attention, and when they don’t get it, they are capable of doing some crazy things like falsely accusing their mom or dad of molestation. Being neglected or ignored is a strong motivational factor for them to start fabricating stories and making up false accusations.

4. For teenagers, false allegation becomes their way out of a strict child-father relationship. Teens may wrongly accuse their father or mother of sexually abusing them just to get out of a very strict and sometime unfair type of upbringing. What usually happens in this scenario is that by the time the teen gets out of the house and the parent already convicted, the former then confesses about the false accusation.

5. Lastly, false accusations of child molestation can also be a result of media stereotyping. The kind of content kids see on TV and the internet makes them overly acquainted with sexual issues, acts, and topics. As a result, they get the tendency to overreact when someone touches them.

In all cases involving accusations of child molestation, telling the truth is the most difficult part, especially for the one accused of the crime. There are several reasons why this is true, but among them, two stand out. The first one is the common misconception that children do not tell a lie. Persons who are quite concerned about child's welfare and protection are convinced that a very young child is incapable of lying, especially when it is about a complex issue such as exploitation or molestation. The second one is the tendency of the courts to favor the alleged child victim and err on convicting the accused even without convincing physical evidence.

Yes, children may not know how to lie, but if there is someone who manipulates them to do so, then it’s possible. Being wrongly accused of child molestation is quite common in divorce cases. Wives use and manipulate their children and accuse their husbands of molesting them. The purpose is to gain custody. Obviously, this is a very evil way of ending a family. Not only is the husband deprived of his right to take care of his children, he is also wrongly accused of committing sexual abuse and is at risk of being imprisoned.

Moreover, children also lie because of either pressure or fear. The threat of risking their safety or their own lives will definitely force them to lie about molestation. Sometimes, even their own parents manipulate them to extort money from a wealthy individual or perhaps exact revenge to an enemy. But whatever the reason is, the sad thing is anyone can be victimized by false allegations. And when that happens, there’s a slim hope for the accused to get his way out.

The second issue is about the bias of the courts towards the alleged victims. This fact is supported by the idea that a crime committed against children, especially those sexual in nature, is a crime committed against the whole society. It is an act generally regarded as unforgivable. This is why anyone accused of child molestation instantly becomes a subject of curse and prejudgment from the people that have an interest in the case. Additionally, even the courts heavily lean towards convicting the accused without proper evidence. In the end, the same thing happens – the accused loses the right to get his way out.

While it should not be the case, what happens in the court is that the accused is the one who needs to prove his innocence. The principle of presumption of innocence unless proven guilty does not really apply in reality. He ends up trying to prove that the allegations are false and find the best explanation to disprove the fabricated events.

Of course, as we've said before, the reason why there is such a heavy inclination to put an alleged molester in jail is because it really is a common problem in society and is truly a heinous act. It's important, however, that the pursuit of justice does not become a witch hunt.

Child sexual abuse is a very emotional and sensitive issue among Americans. Most parents these days tend to be very cautious when it comes to the people who make contact with their children. Even close relatives and friends cannot escape the doubtful and wary minds of concerned parents. However, child sexual abuse cases do not always tell the truth. There have been several false accusations that have ruined the lives of the wrongly accused.

Back in 1985, there was a notable case in Rosedale, Maryland. An ex-marine named Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of sexual assault, rape, and murder of a nine-year old girl which allegedly happened a year before. After trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to death row. Without any physical evidence, the court found him guilty based on the statements of five witnesses who saw him with the young girl before she disappeared.

Luckily for him, the early 90s saw the revolutionary development of DNA testing. The new technology found out that the DNA in the semen found in the girl’s underwear did not match to that of Kirk. Finally, in 1993, after almost nine years in prison, Kirk Bloodsworth was released. But the problem is, his exoneration will never restore the life he had before. The experience in prison and in death row will forever change his future and will never bring back the things he should’ve done if he was free.

Bloodsworth’s case is a clear example of how the criminal justice system favors the alleged victim, especially when it is a young child accusing someone of molestation. The accused at this point is considered guilty even though there is no valid proof such as physical evidence or admission. While it should be noted that child molestation is a heinous crime, it must also be pointed that the accused must still be deemed innocent unless proven guilty by a competent court with proper evidence and due process. The same as other criminal cases, guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

However, hearsay evidence and appeal to emotion by the victim are usually enough to convict a person who is wrongly accused. And for those unlucky people, their conscience becomes their sole weapon. It’s like you’re going to war where your enemies carry guns and cannons while you go out there bringing your sword.

Unfortunately for the wrongly accused, the proof of innocence is so hard to present since the eyes of the media, the people around you, the court, and even the whole justice system is already putting one of your hands in cuffs.

While it is a long shot for all those who are already serving their sentence for the crime they did not commit, those who want to avoid suffering the same fate must realize that the threat of being wrongfully accused is so real. So if you are a person who is close to children, you have to take extra measures in ensuring that you avoid having unnecessary physical contact with them, as this may be interpreted by other people as molestation. Furthermore, you must also avoid being with a child alone, as this may be considered by others as manipulation. In any case, the best way to avoid being falsely accused of child molestation is to have a clear conscience and a cautious way of making sure that when you’re with a child, there must be other persons around as well.

The kind of attention the public puts on child molestation cases has definitely changed the rules of the justice system. We know for a fact that crimes committed against children are the most immoral, inhumane, and wicked. But this doesn’t mean that anyone who is accused of doing so is already guilty of it, especially when there is no evident proof. We all have to remember that the basic principle of the criminal justice system is that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty. However, this is not the case when it comes to false accusations of child molestation. We go back to the landmark trial of the McMartin preschool.

The McMartin preschool trial was a child sexual abuse scandal in the 1980s where members of the McMartin family, owners of the school, were accused of molesting and sexually abusing a number of children who enrolled in their school. This case is very notable for various reasons. It is one of the first Multi-Victim Multi-Offender (MVMO) child abuse cases in American history. It is also the longest criminal trial and one of the most expensive ones. It cost the state $15 million dollars and the entire duration, including arrests, arraignments, and the trial lasted for six years. Lastly, it also became a media hot topic due to the weird and sometimes unbelievable accusations by the alleged victims such as satanic ritual abuse and that the accused were capable of flying.

After six long years, the cases were dismissed but not after some of the accused were already wrongly imprisoned for five years. The court was quoted as saying that part of this delayed justice was because of the media stereotyping. Before the case even started, the media and public started to label the McMartins as guilty considering the number of alleged victims who testified.

The McMartin case is just one of the many instances where individuals are imprisoned and punished for the child crimes they did not commit. The worst part is when the courts and all those people involved create a premeditated decision that whenever someone is accused of sexual abuse against the child, that someone is automatically guilty.

Why Do We Have This Kind of Bias?

This trend is referred to as the national child molestation hysteria. Any case involving sexual abuse of a child gains a lot of attention, not only from the media, but from the government, legislature, and the entire public. Most of the population is programmed to think that there is a child offender or molester in every single block of the neighborhood; that our children are at a continuous risk of being abused. As a result, anyone who’s accused will always be deemed guilty, notwithstanding the kind of evidence that is yet to be presented in court. The consequence: hundreds of innocent people behind bars for the child sexual crime they didn’t do.

The most troubling part is that there is a risk of our children being abused. Landmark research by the CDC in 2006 found that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before reaching age 18. This is an undeniable fact. Still, we have to strike a careful balance when it comes to dealing with accusations. Every accusations must be taken seriously, but we as a society cannot act as if we have the whole story from the beginning.

The Latin maxim “dura lex, sed lex” (the law is hard, but it is the law) literally fits to the current state of the Federal Law on Child Abuse prevention. Prior to 1974, the majority of child abuse cases in the United States were either concealed or seldom reported to authorities. This is because at that time, there was no definite law that brought the issue to the public. When the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) was passed, each state in the nation was forced to act accordingly and instructed that they formulate their own state law providing strict child abuse laws. If any state does not seriously comply with the integration of the new federal code into state law, funding will be suspended.

As a result, the entire American public is now very much aware of the current state of child abuse in the country. There are laws on each state that provide definite and maximum punishments for sex offenders and pedophiles. While CAPTA is obviously formulated to keep children safe from sexual abuse, it is also the main tool used by other people to advance their interests in falsely accusing innocent individuals of child sexual abuse. How does this happen?

There is a certain provision in the law that gives immunity to persons who present reports in good faith about alleged and suspected scenarios of child sexual abuse. This means that if ever someone believes that his neighbor is abusing a child without any substantial evidence to prove it, he can still report it without risking himself of being brought to court for false allegation and harassment charges. Since there is immunity from prosecution, people with bad intentions can use this law to their advantage. If they hold a grudge over a person, they can simply make up stories; convince a child to make an accusation, and then report that fabricated story to the authorities. Definitely, for those who are wrongly accused of child sexual abuse, the law may be harsh, but it is the law.

SAID Syndrome

It’s not always the case where children become victims of sexual abuse. There are times when they also become victims, but of a different kind of abuse. SAID syndrome is a term coined by medical experts that means sexual allegation in divorce. This scenario happens when marriages fail. What usually follows in a divorce is the custody battle for the children. Wives who are in danger of losing custody of their kids are capable of doing drastic measures just to win the battle. As a last resort, they try to manipulate their kids into falsely accusing their father of sexual abuse. And since the courts are unfortunately in favor of children, any allegation, even if it’s substantial, will always get merit from the jury or the judge. At this point, we have to point out that the father/husband is not the only victim, but the kids as well. They are victims of a kind of abuse called manipulation. It is not their fault when they are forced or convinced by their moms to accuse their dad of abuse. They are simply confused.

As we can see in the scenarios mentioned above, the horrible nature of the crime of child molestation and sexual abuse is slowly swallowing the essence of justice for those falsely accused of the crime. It seems like whenever someone is accused, he is already guilty even if there is no trial or evidence provided to prove it.

It’s no surprise that thousands of children are abused around the world every day. In fact, the number keeps rising each year because the advancement of communication and technology has also put the children under increased vulnerability towards sex offenders and criminals. Additionally, of all the crimes that infest humanity, it is those that are directed at children that gain attention and scrutiny the most. Thus, anyone who is found to have sexually abused a child is cursed and persecuted by society. But what about those falsely accused?

False allegations are a sad fact. Just like the trauma and pain experienced by child victims, victims of false accusations are also subjected to injustice, pain, and lifetime suffering.

In 2008, a man was released in prison after serving twelve years. He was supposed to serve a life sentence but was eventually liberated because of a new break in his case. Some few years back, he was accused and convicted of sexually abusing a then 3-year old girl. The facts relating to the case were a bit sketchy at the time of the trial and there was no trace of physical evidence. Nevertheless, he was convicted primarily due to the public outcry. The alleged abuse happened in a small farming town. But when it was revealed later that the victim admitted that she was actually forced to make up the abuse story, the years of imprisonment and the emotional and psychological torture attached to it will never cease to exist in the person of the one wrongly accused of the crime. Although the man is now literally free, the freedom from the trauma of the experience is almost impossible to attain.

Coercion is just one way of forcing a child to lie about sexual abuse. There are other reasons why children make up stories that they have been abused. But one thing is for sure, this trend must be stopped or many more people will become victims of false allegations themselves.

There are several motivational factors for manipulating a child to make false accusations. One of them is revenge. There are several instances where a person seeks revenge by using a child to accuse another person of sexual abuse. Usually, the child is close to that person and the accusation is supported by a fabrication of a series of false and unreal events. Another trigger is emotional revenge because of a failed marriage or relationship. Women who separate from their husbands frequently use child sex abuse allegations against the husband in order to gain leverage in future custody battles. Lastly, the most commonly driven factor is extortion. In this case, perhaps a group of persons or a syndicate uses a child or a number of children to accuse a prominent and rich individual of child molestation. The purpose of course is to extort money from the victim.

So these are the reasons why children lie about being sexually abused or molested. False allegations are somehow equally alarming to that of real cases of children abused. The biggest issue here is the tendency of the criminal justice system in favoring the accuser and prematurely labeling the accused as being guilty even without any proof or evidence.

The number of child abuse cases has dramatically increased in the past decade. This increase coincides with the fact that children these days are becoming a lot more vulnerable because of their constant and leveled exposure to venues of abuse such as the internet and television. Nonetheless, we should also take into account the number of instances where a person is wrongly accused.

An American father of two was convicted of first-degree sexual offense way back in 1986. As a punishment, he was given two life sentences for the immoral and gruesome crime he allegedly committed. Then a sudden twist of fate happened more than a decade after. His alleged victim, his own daughter, confessed that her father never really touched her and the accusation was false. Going back to the merits of the case, it was found out that there was really no physical evidence proving that sexual abuse took place. The only thing that convicted the father was the emotional testimony of the daughter.

Although the father in the case above got his needed redemption, nothing can repay the pain he suffered by spending more than ten years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Much worse, the one who accused him was his own blood. When asked why she did it, the daughter simply admitted that she wanted a way out of the very strict and harsh upbringing her father imposed on them.

Most of the time, people tend to forget that the scenario is not always the same. Even if children don’t know how to lie, they still are capable of fabricating stories and making accusations especially when they are put in a tight and pressured situation. What happens here is that the accused becomes the victim of false accusation. While being sexually abused entails lifetime trauma, being falsely accused of the same has an equally irreparable trauma as well.

It is unfortunate to note that false accusations of child molestation are a common occurrence in the criminal justice system, especially in the United States. When a certain person is imprisoned because of false conviction, his entire life is ruined, not to mention, his whole family as well. This is especially true when the accuser is another member of the family. But if we try to dig deeper, there are actually several motives that drive children to lie and pretend that they’ve been abused. We will be tackling them in another post. But what’s really discouraging is the fact that courts (and society, for that matter) are more inclined to favor the accuser rather than assuming the accused is innocent until proven guilty within the boundaries of law and justice.

While so many experts contend that the state of being a pedophile is impossible to heal, there is actually a glimmer of hope for recovery. The common belief is that child molesters, predators, and pedophiles do not have room to change. This means that by the time they start to sexually abuse children, the process becomes never ending. But is it really the true scenario?

Sex is the main trigger. But for pedophiles, it’s not just an ordinary type of sex drive since the ones they fantasize are innocent children and minors. The sexual addiction is driven by the belief that when they abuse a victim, they are actually showing and manifesting love, care, affection, and mutual relationship. Of course, we all know that’s not true. The reality is the moment a person becomes a pedophile, there is no turning back. Now, is this true?

There are several cases of different people who fantasize and regard children as sexual objects. While some of them are able to fight the urge and control by seeking psychological and behavioral treatment, others simply cannot help it. When someone has upgraded his imagination and carried out his desire of sexually molesting or abusing children, he is now called a sexual predator.

The behavior of harming children is beyond normal. It is not accepted by the norms of society and the people who do it are condemned by every nation. Nonetheless, child sexual predators think otherwise. They believe that such type of sexual behavior and mentality is normal and they can abuse children whenever they want to.

For them, it is more about expressing control and power. Many offenders were victims themselves as children. This can indeed help to form the twisted mindset that adults and children can have sexual relations.

Typical sexual predators believe that through molestation and abuse, they are actually expressing love to the victim. This distorted belief is primarily caused by their lack of reason. The way they think has been compromised by their need for sexual outlet. The most dangerous part of their behavior is when their potential victims don’t cooperate in the fantasy. They would think that by being with children and abusing them, it’s like they are creating a mutual and loving relationship. But of course, everything is just pure fear and intimidation. As soon as the victim fights back and opposes, harm in the form of sexual and physical abuse will certainly take place.

Now most of the time, sexual predators don’t admit that something’s wrong with them. They strongly believe that they’re normal. These people need understanding but at the same time, they must also be reminded that sexually abusing children is absolutely one of the worst crimes a man can commit.

The psychology and mental state of child molesters and sex offenders are popular points of debate nowadays. Many people including scientists, psychologists, doctors, and parents wonder and argue whether or not convicted child molesters and offenders actually change and allow themselves to get help.

There are various factors to consider before one can tell that these people are either curable or incurable. For instance, several sex offenders have shown good progress in responding to counseling and treatment. While there seems to be significant development on how they view children, there is still not enough proof on how they respond and behave when actually placed in a community where they get access to children.

As for child molesters, seeking cure is quite thorny or even impossible. Nonetheless, it does not mean as well that there’s no hope. These types of criminals are by instinct manipulative and the desire and need to harm children will always be there as long as opportunity presents itself. This means that in order to help these people overcome their desires, parents and other concerned groups should make sure that they are not given access to children where they can think of abusing and molesting again.

Anyway, here are some of the common treatment approaches directed towards child molesters, predators, and sex offenders:

Psycho – educational approach – this treatment is centered on teaching molesters to be aware of the consequences if ever they abuse a child again. It also helps the offender build concern towards the victim.

Pharmacological – medicine and qualified drugs are used to decrease the level of sexual arousal of the molester.

Cognitive approach – it is a complex work done by counselors, doctors, and therapists aimed at completely changing the behavior and perception of the molester so as to eliminate the sexual arousal from molesting children.

While these three approaches seem to look very effective, there hasn’t been that much success. Treating child molesters is very tough to a point that perhaps only one in ten are able to completely turn their lives around. But looking at the brighter side, the presence of these treatments may eventually carry out more transformations in the future.

In our opinion, sexual molesters are under a spiritual bondage. It is impossible to think your way out of a spiritual bondage. True freedom can only be given by grace through Jesus Christ. Many molesters, even though who molested within the church, have never asked the Lord to heal them of their sexual addiction simply because they do not see it as sin. A person must be willing to call sin what it is and to openly confess it. They must be willing to face the Lord and trust His plan for their life to change, even when that plan includes jail time.

Life is full of chances and opportunities. We take different and distinct endeavors in order to succeed. While most of us follow the right path, others fall off the wagon and take the dark road. Mistakes are always a part of every man’s life. But as we have said, the world gives several chances at correcting them and redeeming ourselves. But the problem is how about those who are not willing to take those chances given to them?

When a person commits a crime, he goes to jail and receives the punishment. Depending on the kind and gravity of the offense, many convicted criminals have taken a second chance at having a normal life after prison. But in the case of child molesters and sex offenders, is giving a second chance worth it? Can they be actually reformed or cured?

When someone commits murder or robbery, it’s considered a crime. But when a person molests or sexually abuses a child, that’s more than a crime – it’s more likely an addiction as well. There is no scientific evidence proving that child molesters do not have the ability to change. But as you will see from the millions of cases, sex offenders are likely to abuse again right after serving time in jail. For a parent’s point of view, keeping their children away from registered sex offenders is not an issue of discrimination – it’s just that these people are more likely to harm children simply because they have done it in the past.

The hunger and need to molest or abuse a child is almost impossible to fight for these people. It is not merely about the sexual need or desire, but more on the behavioral or mental disorder of the abuser or molester. It is actually a battle between logic and addiction. While a part of the molester says that it is wrong to harm a child, a bigger part is telling him to do it for the sake of satisfaction and contentment. Addiction is just too hard, even impossible to fight. So the only way molesters and abusers can live on with their lives is to continue giving in to their addiction.

Finally, it’s actually quite unfair to totally close our doors to people who have previously molested or abused a child. However, by being cautious and vigilant, parents and other concerned individuals cannot as well be blamed if they choose not to let them enter their lives. It’s an unfortunate fact that while most of them may have regretted committing past mistakes, there is still no guarantee that they will not do the same thing all over again.

Child molesters and sex offenders are all over the place. Whether it’s your church community, school, neighborhood, or even within your own home, there is the ubiquitous presence of anyone who seeks to abuse or molest a child. While much has been said about experiences and encounters with these people, no one has really come up with a perfect prevention plan to stop the crime for good. And just like any type of crime, profiling a child molester tells us the true persona of the individual and gives us insight on how to avoid and prevent them from harming our own children. So here are the facts separated from the myths...

Time is an essential aspect of a child or teenager’s life. Not only should parents value it, kids must also learn how to manage it. Time management is quite difficult to teach but parents don’t have a choice.

Kids and even teenagers fail to keep up with it and most of the time, they take it for granted. They never think of wisely spending every hour of the day since all they care about is enjoying every moment of it. But these kids cannot be blamed since they’re simply too young to understand the value of time.

Nonetheless, parents must find a way to teach kids the significance of time management. There will always come a time when it becomes a lot harder to wake them up, do their homework, or go to school on time. This kind of behavior is natural but it should never be tolerated as well. Careful planning, convincing, and a lot of talk are needed for a parent to instill the value of time to their kids.

Careful planning means doing the teaching at the earliest possible time. As soon as you think your child is ignoring its essence, you should be there to intervene. You cannot allow that negative mentality since children may soon carry it when they grow old. So lessons of time management must be done early so that they can also begin to get used to spending time wisely until they are old enough to realize how crucial it is.

Convincing on the other hand is all about setting example. You as a parent cannot possibly teach your children how to value time if you yourself cannot set a good example. It is not good to tell your kid to wake up six in the morning when you are not awake at that same time.

Lastly, there is no better way of teaching your children anything of value than talking to them. You cannot talk to them when you don’t have time for them. By the time you establish a constant and open communication, they will realize that you’re making a good effort of spending time with them even though you are busy with other things.

Doing all of this will also ensure that they don't get trapped so easily in addiction to social media, pornography or into a bad relationship with a potential sexual offender. Remember that love is a set of actions, not a feeling. If you actively choose to show your child how much you care about their life, they will respond.

Even in progressive and developed countries like the United States, money is still an issue for most families. It’s not like because you live in America, you can have all you want. It is therefore very crucial for parents to know exactly how to teach their kids to value and identify the importance of money. This can help lead a child to identify the value that individuals have inherently.

Since money is responsible for giving children the material things they want such as toys, clothes, gadgets, food, and others, most of them begin to ask for it even at such a young age. However, one important responsibility a parent must perform is ensuring that their kids will not be spoiled by the desire to get and ask for anything they want, though it may not be a necessity. Unlike adults, young people, especially kids, still don’t have the right kind of understanding on the amount of effort and difficulty it takes to earn money. So as a parent, it is your job to teach young ones the value of money.

Leading by example must be your first step. You have to show your kids how you wisely spend money by doing little things like making priority lists for shopping for groceries or refraining from purchasing stuff that is not of immediate need. If you always give in to your own pleasure and wants, your children will do the same.

Reward system is another effective way of teaching your kids the value of money. Remind them to religiously perform the chores assigned to them.  As a reward, you can give them their allowances. If they fail to do so, you can suspend the allowance until they start doing their chores. This method helps them realize that money cannot be obtained without any hard work.

The next method is saving. Teach your kid to save even small bills from cents to a dollar or two from their allowance. However, don’t try to make it compulsory since they may think that you’re just trying to take away their money. This process is slow and gradual but in the end, you’ll realize how significant it is for your kids when they grow up.

So then, how does this relate to the sexual exploitation and sexualization of our youth in America? On of the main sources of our problems in this nation is that we live in a soceity of consumers that are trained to work for more, more, more. More money, bigger houses, better cars, larger 401K's. In this type of environment, people are easily viewed as commodities rather than human beings made in the image of God, hence the viewing of people as sex objects. Valuing money leads to a value of hard work, which leads to a valuing of the work that others do. If we begin to value each other, perhaps we will learn to stop victimizing each other.