Berlin on pedophiles: We need resources, not demonization

[Fred Berlin] points out that we are constantly delivering public service announcements to people struggling with depression, eating disorders, drug abuse and the like, telling them to “come and get help” — but rarely do we direct that same message to pedophiles. “What I wish society would recognize is that good people can be afflicted through no fault of their own with these attractions,” he says. “To simply demonize these folks rather than reach out and help them is not serving their interests, or our interests as a society.”

via Salon.com.

Malika Saada Saar: Why the film Precious is a “fairy tale”

When girls in economically stable families are hurt by sexual violence, the protective layers of functional schools, safe neighborhoods and access to mental-health services tend to buffer them from further exploitation. For girls at the margins, sexual violence often funnels them into the criminal justice system. (washingtonpost.com)