Q. If a 14 year old male with raging hormones decides to “check out his sexual curiosity” with a few of his sisters; is this a bad choice and sexual molestation or just a bad choice?
A. I’m sure most people are aware of the reality TV family who are minimizing the inappropriate sexual behavior of their son, as are two of his victims. Most likely the American public will never know all the details of this case but what we do know is many “explanations” and “excuses” are being offered.
The tragic outcome to minimizing inappropriate sexual behavior is the “normalization” of it. If you are sleeping and your brother comes in to your room and violates your body because of his raging hormones and his inability to make good choices, it is not normal!! It is inappropriate and needs to be reported.
Sexual molestation leaves scars for the victims. If the perpetrator is not punished or sent to treatment,(for a lengthy amount of time, in a legitimate treatment facility where this type of behavior can be treated) there can be further emotional trauma for the victim. When parents want to sweep this behavior under the rug or explain it away to “keep the family together” and perhaps with this reality family, keep their current financial status intact, who loses? The whole family loses but especially the girls who were his prey.
And if you should hear someone say, “children are resilient,” in the midst of this media coverage, please ignore them. Yes, children are resilient, what choice do they have? They are counting on the adults, the people who love and care for them, to protect them. Victimized children are struggling to make sense of the situation and cope. That’s all they can do. But never for one minute believe that resiliency protects them from suffering.
Sexual molestation is not a “normal rite of passage” for 14 year old males with raging hormones or anyone with raging hormones. Stop minimizing and normalizing a devastating behavior.
