Child Sex Crimes in U.S. an Increasing Concern
Sexual Crimes Against Children Have Become More Frequent and Surreal
Aug 22, 2008 John Leonard Lovik
In El Dorado, Texas authorities are continuing to battle with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to assure that its young followers are not being pressed into underage marriages or sexually abused. This case, widely covered in the media, was the first of many child sexual abuse cases to appear this summer. While crimes against children are naturally perceived by many to be the most egregious crime that can be comitted, this current trend begs attention due to level of surreal atrocity each new case brings to our attention.
The Alarming Escalation of Crimes Against Children
The following cases are found in reports by MSNBC over the months of June through August and are just now reaching courtroom verdicts.
In Pittsburgh, a man is arrested after his plans to recruit a New Zealand woman and her 4 year old daughter to start a society of sex slaves is revealed by a classmate. FBI warrants also uncovered child pornography in the man's posession.
In Tyler, Texas an investigation by the Texas Rangers led to the arrest of a 41 year-old male. The man was arrested after it was uncovered that he was sedating children in order to train them perform sexual shows for a swinger's club. The children involved were reported to have shown signs of sexual abuse. The man was found guilty in just 15 minutes and convicted to life in prison.
In Idaho a man is facing trial for torturing an 8 year-old girl and her 9 year-old brother after killing the children's mother, 13 year-old brother, and the mother's fiancee. The two children were forced to commit sexual acts and made to watch while the man tortured each of them in turn. The 9 year-old was murdered by the man and the 8 year-old was rescued by a waitress who recognized her from new reports.
Questions Raised in the Wake of Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court's ruling this year clarified capital punishment law by making it only applicable to crimes where the convicted takes the life of another. This move was contested by many supporters of capital punishment and was even criticized by presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama. The argument being that our most egregious punishments should be reserved for our most egregious crimes. Many believe that crimes against children constitute the most heinous acts a human can commit.
Is Sexual Abuse More Damaging than Murder?
Oftentimes when a crime is perpetrated against a child it includes some form of sexual abuse, so the debate on how these cases should be treated boils down to the damage caused by sexual abuse versus outright murder. For many, sexual abuse is an act which devastates a life and leaves the victim in constant states of guilt or fear and can potentially lead to a victimized life. These same people will say that murder has the mercy of at least ending a life rather than letting it suffer the psychological trauma that comes with realizing how brutal and unsafe communities can become.
As with any discussion of crime and the laws that define it, there are no concrete answers to be found. However, the first step to at least alleviating the damage done is in recognizing the impact on the victims. With crimes perperated against children, who very literally act as the perpetuants of our existence, the questions also arises as to who the victims are: simply the children or the whole society charged with protecting them?
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