SHADOW OF A DOUBT

As long as society looks at the alleged perpetrator as the guilty party who needs to be punished, these perverted acts will continue. It takes a truly sick person to sexually molest a small child. Only when we start looking at the perpetrator as a victim also will we begin to solve the horrendous problem.

The intent of our laws is always to instill fear of punishment. It should be obvious by now that fear of punishment does not act as a deterrent.

Unless we begin to understand the mechanism for this type of behavior, all the punishment in the world will not stop it. Fear of punishment will only keep the potential molester underground.

The only hope is for people who have these tendencies to come forward to seek help. It has been said over and over again by the experts that the majority of these molesters were molested themselves when they were young. It just may be that they have no control over their actions. They need help, not punishment.

The cycle needs to be broken.

BENNY WASSERMAN

La Palma