NCJ Number
216351
Journal
Victims & Offenders Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: 2006 Pages: 225-254
Date Published
2006
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This article examines whether there is a pedophilia moral panic and whether it extends beyond the borders of one country with the focus on France and the United States.
Abstract
The primary catalyst toward these pedophilia panics in France and the United States has not been the increasing frequency of child molestation; rather, sensationalized media reports and political crusading are responsible for the moral panic that has fixated both societies. Despite the infrequent occurrence of these offenses, they generate an enormous amount of media attention and ignite fear, passion, and outrage of various individuals and groups in the community. This perceived threat of child molestation plays an important role in the generation of legislation. The resulting panic legislation is most often a knee-jerk reaction developed by the legislature to resolve the publicly perceived emergency situation. First introduced in 1971, moral panic is described as a condition, episode, person or group of persons, which become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. The use of the term pedophilia as opposed to child sexual abuse has to be understood within the context of moral panic. This research first examined pedophilia as a social fact in France and the United States. The historical evolution of the perception of pedophilia was examined in both countries by way of the literature, the types of legislation passed to address it, and the influence of high-profile cases. The intent is to unravel the contrast between the actual incident of pedophiliac acts and the attention brought to the acts by the news coverage and legislation. Figures and references