ON PEDOPHILE ORGANIZATIONS

INTRODUCTION

"It is best when beginning sex with a kid to do it as part of a game. Sometimes the kid will make the first move, sometimes the adult. Sometimes the adult can create a situation where a kid can ask for sex or start sex if they want. Curiosity is a big factor, exploring somebody and having them explore you is another good way to start. This can be a kind of show and tell. Just about anything that adults can do together an adult and a kid can do together. It's best to go slowly the first time - and its more exciting that way too - but of course you have to be sensitive to size differences."

This excerpt is from a pamphlet called, "How To Have Sex With Kids," written by David Sonenschein. It is an example of a dangerous philosophy that thousands of people in North America subscribe to. They believe that the laws prohibiting sexual relations between children and adults should be done away with.

PEDOPHILE GROUPS

There are a number of groups that advocate sexual activity between adults and children. The following is a list of pedophile organizations (some no longer exist):

• North American Man - Boy Love Association - NAMBLA
• The Rene Guyon Society
• Childhood Sensuality Circle - CSC
• Pedophiliacs Anonymous - PAN
• Pedophile Information Exchange - PIE
• Pedophile Action for Liberation - PAL
• Pedophile Alliance League - P.A.L.
• The Lewis Carroll Collectors Guild
• Howard Nichols Society

Many of these organizations prepare various pamphlets and newsletters advocating, if not encouraging, sex with children. The existence of these organizations is, in itself, disgusting. These organizations claim that thousands of people, including teachers, doctors, and lawyers, belong to their groups. This is incomprehensible.

MANDATE OF PEDOPHILE ORGANIZATIONS

The overall mandate of these various organizations is to legalize sexual relations between adults and children. They want to break down the social discrimination that pedophiles face. They maintain that pedophilia (or as NAMBLA calls it, inter-generational sex) is a sexual orientation or preference just like homosexuality or heterosexuality. Age should not be a barrier to "consensual" sex between children and adults.

Such organizations argue that laws prohibiting sexual relations with children are based on mistaken notions that such relations are harmful to children. They argue that sex with kids is healthy and beneficial for them. They deny, however, that their members practice sex with children.

North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA)

NAMBLA was formed in 1978 in Boston. It held its first national conference in the same year. Over 200 people from 15 states and 3 Canadian provinces attended. The conference grew out of a defence committee that was formed for 24 men accused of being involved in a "boy prostitution" ring. It involved children who were in foster homes. They argued that the men were motivated by love, not money. NAMBLA promotes pedophilia as a lifestyle. They help defend men accused of child sexual abuse, and they lobby against laws that prohibit child sexual abuse. They also wish to educate the public on the benevolent nature of man/boy relationships. They hold marches and conferences, like the one they have in New York in June each year.

NAMBLA "neither does nor advocates anything unlawful." NAMBLA has gone as far as to try to defend men accused or convicted of sex crimes against children. For example, in a newsletter they asked for cash donations for a New England man who fled the country after his conviction of assault with intent to rape a child under 16 years of age.

NAMBLA has recently caused some concern in Canada due to its connection to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). ILGA was recently given support for observer status by two Canadian delegates to the United Nations. The concern is not over the support for ILGA itself, but over its connection to NAMBLA.

The Rene Guyon Society

This group is named after a former judge who served on the Supreme Court of Thailand for 30 years. He was also the author of several books and papers dealing with human sexuality, including that of children. It was formed in 1962 by seven couples during a lecture on human sexuality. The Society has promoted its own summer camping program for daughters of its members. Their chilling motto is "Sex by age eight, or it's too late." Members are connected by their mutual belief in sex with children.

They push for the abolishment of laws prohibiting pedophilia. For example, they want adults to be able to perform anal sex on children as young as four. They also say that children performing oral sex on adults will end thumb-sucking. According to them, men should be able to have sex with girls as young as 10.

They have argued that if laws restricting child sexuality are not changed, there will be more kids working as prostitutes, contracting venereal diseases and committing suicide. State rape laws should be changed to allow parents and guardians to give their consent for their children to have sex. Newsletters have contained slogans such as "Children keep family sex secrets."

They believe in "child-child and child-adult bisexuality starting at age 4, 5 and 6 if protected with contraceptives." They maintain, however, that while they advocate legalizing sex with children, they "do not practice it . . . No one can come into our Society who has ever had sex with children."

Childhood Sensuality Circle (CSC)

CSC was formed in 1971 by a retired social worker calling herself Valida Davila. The CSC have several pamphlets such as "Porno for Children," and "Letters from Sucky Lucy, Age 11." They have gone so far as to draft "A Child's Sexual Bill of Rights." They list nine things that they feel should be accessible for children. Some of these are:

• the right to experience sensual pleasures without shame or guilt.
• the right to learn lovemaking as soon as he or she is able to understand.
• the right to loving relationships, including sexual relationships, with parents, siblings, or other adults and children.
• the right to a sex life based on natural desires without regard for tradition.

This "bill of rights" is nothing more than a self-serving wish list for pedophiles. Fortunately, a police raid in 1987 put Davila and the CSC out of business.

Pedophile Information Exchange (PIE)

Originating in England in 1974, PIE is one of the best known of these groups. They maintain that, "any damage to children is inflicted by society and the law," because of the restrictions on child sexuality that exist. PIE joined forces with the Pedophile Action for Liberation (PAL) in 1977 when PAL disbanded. In 1977, there was a near riot in London when PIE "came out of the closet." The crowd was shouting "kill them, kill them." At its peak, PIE only had 250 members, but it was one of the better known organizations.

They wish to build a sense of community for pedophiles, and to provide a public forum for debate. They claim that most pedophiles desire gentle, boring and mutually stable relationships. PIE said that pedophilia is a normal desire if only the rest of society would admit it. Members visit convicted pedophiles in prison. "Magpie," was a magazine PIE published which had a contact page for pedophiles (but not for children). PIE had 5 aims. They were:

• to clear away, where possible, the myths connected with pedophilia by various means, including the making public of scientific, sociological and similar information;
• to give advice and counsel to those isolated or lonely because of their pedophile orientation;
• to help those in legal difficulties concerning sexual acts with underage partners that took place with the latter's consent;
• to campaign, as members see fit, for the legal and social acceptance of pedophilia love;
• to provide a means whereby pedophiles might get in contact with each other.

PIE wants the age of consent to be abolished. They would replace it with the following categories: 1.) children under 4 are unable to communicate their consent; 2.) children 4-9 can communicate consent; relationships can only be stopped by parents; and 3.) children 10-17, only minimal interference is allowed.

LEWIS CARROLL COLLECTORS GUILD

The Guild was operated by David Lechton until he died in 1988 at which time it disbanded. It was a group that supposedly served those with an innocent interest in nudity. It published a newsletter called "Wonderland." It contained some nude photos of preteens (so much for an innocent interest.) It also had contact pages for pedophiles. It had subscribers from Japan, Mexico and Canada.

HOWARD NICHOLS SOCIETY

This group was run by David Sonenschein (who was the author of the excerpt that began this paper). He was a former consultant to the 1970 Presidential Committee on Obscenity and Pornography. He is also a pedophile. The Society was formed in 1981. The name was taken from a fictional character in the movie, Fallen Angel, who preyed upon young girls.

Sonenschein was arrested in 1983 after police found copies of his pamphlet, "How to Have sex with Kids," in his apartment. Unfortunately, he beat the charges on a technicality. In this pamphlet, Sonenschein provides hints for child molesters on how to get victims. "Friends are a good source . . . It's also a good idea to get to know the parents . . . you can get babysitting tasks." He goes into further detail about the best way to sexually abuse children.

LAWS AND PEDOPHILE ORGANIZATIONS

On January 20, 1993, the Standing Committee on Justice and Solicitor General held discussions on NAMBLA. Then Justice Minister Pierre Blais said he would not recommend the banning of the NAMBLA Bulletin or criminalize its possession.

Law enforcement concerning these types of groups is very difficult because they operate largely underground. Because these groups deal largely in pornography, child pornography laws are the most commonly used legislation to combat these associations. For example, it is an offence in Canada to possess, produce or distribute pornographic material containing children. Child pornography offenses also include written material that advocates or encourages sex with children.

Pedophile organizations argue for the abolition of laws prohibiting child sexual abuse. Some laws they refer to are sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference, etc. These laws exist for the protection of young people. Young children are not legally capable to consent to sexual activity because they are too young to make informed decisions. The argument that they are old enough is a self-serving pedophile attempt to legalize their behaviour.

Pedophile organizations may attempt to use the Charter as a justification for their work. For example, the freedom of beliefs, opinions and expression and the freedom to associate come to mind. However, none of these guaranteed rights can permit the abuse of children. These rights have limitations, and the abuse of children is one of those limitations. It is not legal to yell "fire" in a crowded building - that is a legal limit on freedom of speech.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST PEDOPHILE ORGANIZATIONS

When one wades through the professional-sounding proclamations in favour of groups like NAMBLA, one realizes that the arguments they present are bogus images of child protection. They are contact services for pedophiles, which may mean access to more victims. Child pornography is also another service of these groups. The access they provide enables pedophiles to obtain this material that they may not otherwise get.

The existence of these organizations presents a danger to all children. The mere existence of them provides validation for pedophiles and their desires. This makes future offenses more likely. The declaration by the Rene Guyon Society that none of their members practice sex with children is very difficult to believe, especially when one considers their motto, "sex by age 8 or else it's too late." The effects of child abuse are devastating. In a previous Ontario court case involving a pedophile (the choirmaster) the court was told that two of the victims had committed suicide as a result of their childhood abuse. If childhood sex is not harmful to the children, why is there such a high suicide rate among the victims? Many of the victims never fully recover. Many abuse victims become abusers. The arguments that sex with children is healthy for them are completely false

CONCLUSION

Very few of the organizations that were listed on page one of this report are in operation today. NAMBLA is probably the best known and most active in North America. NAMBLA has attempted to make their issue an issue of gay civil rights. They have even had some success considering they are a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Association. One wonders why ILGA would allow this, or not be more vocal about their isolation from NAMBLA. Two consenting adults of the same sex can make decisions concerning their sexual relationships. Children can not.

The existence of pedophile organizations means more victimization of more innocent children through pornography, prostitution and sexual abuse. While it may not be a huge problem in Canada now, it must not be ignored. NAMBLA was able to slip its name on the membership of ILGA which was given support by two Canadian delegates at the United Nations. They cannot be allowed to go any further. While it is unlikely that pedophilia will ever become an accepted sexual preference, NAMBLA must not be given the chance to make it so.