Some form of sympathy for the most vile?

[Mathematician]

A conversation emerged between my girlfriend and I about whether or not mental compulsion can be a valid reason for "having to do something." This eventually led to the topic of pedophilia, the mental condition where someone is compelled, chemically, towards little prepubescent children.

I know this is a touchy subject, so I'll try to put this as nicely as I can. Basically the two of us agreed that, as far as science goes, the same forces which compel someone with a different mental disorder to do something are acting on a pedophile [note: in regard to this thread we're not talking about general sex offenders, but those with a real mental disorder].

Which brings about this very controversial question: should we feel some form of sympathy for pedophiles, since they have a mental disorder whereas we don't? The medical community has largely gone with society's notion that it's "sick and beyond repair." However, some are saying workable treatments exist, if only people would be serious about working to solve the problem.

This also applies to ephebophilia and nepiophilia.

 

[gmelrod]

I think that any psychologists on the board will back me up. Modern Psycology cannot cure and has great difficulty treating pedophilia and other sexualized mental disorders. The more we learn about human behavior the more we are suprised to find is involuntary. Alcoholism is now considered a disease by many. Disease itself was once considered a divine punishment for misdeeds. Of course we should have some pity for people in aberant psychological states. But part of that pity is to get people the treatment they need and help to prevent them from falling victim to their own compulsions. If they are not in control they must be controlled. We should stop treating sexual offenders like the very picture of evil and get them the productive help they need as best we can and still keep others safe.

 

[darkpenguin]

Wow you're just full of good questions today lol.
To some people the acts that people with mental problems commit are unforgivable and I totaly respect that, I'd never even contemplate expecting a victim to forgive their abuser. However I do feel that some sympathy should be given to the abuser in the way of real help and rehabilitation instead of being all to quick to put them to death.
If the abuser is beyond help then keeping them away from where they can harm people again is the only fair way to control that person.
What we tend to forget is that we are still cavepeople at heart and that mentality is still very within us, we just like to pretend it's not because we consider ourselves more advanced then that.
Could I sympathise with an abuser if one ever affected me or and of my family? Thats a tough question and one that I hope i'll never have to answer.