PRINTER'S NO. 1770
No. 183 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY ROHRER, ARGALL, BAKER, BASTIAN, BIRMELIN, CLARK,
CLYMER, DeLUCA, EGOLF, FARGO, FICHTER, FORCIER, GEIST,
HARHAI, HERSHEY, LEH, LYNCH, MAITLAND, MASLAND, McNAUGHTON,
METCALFE, NAILOR, PESCI, PETRARCA, READSHAW, SAYLOR,
SCHRODER, S. H. SMITH, SNYDER, STABACK, STERN, E. Z. TAYLOR,
TRUE, WILT, WOGAN, YEWCIC AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 11, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MAY 11, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Condemning claims that consensual pedophilia is not harmful to
2 children.
3 WHEREAS, The Psychological Bulletin of the American
4 Psychological Association has recently published an article by
5 three authors, including Bruce Rind, a psychology professor at
6 Temple University, which claims that what they regard as the
7 most credible studies on sexual relationships between adults and
8 children suggest that such relationships do not provide
9 pervasive and intensely negative effects in the vast majority of
10 cases as long as the sex is consensual; and
11 WHEREAS, Professor Rind has authored at least three studies
12 within the past three years which downplay the harmful impact of
13 pedophilic relationships, if consensual; and
14 WHEREAS, The view of Professor Rind and his two co-authors
15 defies common sense, is contrary to the experience of
16 professionals who work in the child welfare field and is
1 contradicted by the views of prominent researchers in the field
2 of child abuse; and
3 WHEREAS, Credible experts believe that sexually abused
4 children are at increased risk for such negative clinical
5 conditions as depression, vulnerability to drug and alcohol use,
6 sex with other children, lowered self-esteem, guilt, shame, an
7 inability to distinguish sex from love and a higher risk of
8 suicide; and
9 WHEREAS, Pedophilia is harmful to the family unit which is
10 the foundation of our society; and
11 WHEREAS, The ugly reality is that so-called consensual sexual
12 relations between adults and children are harmful; and
13 WHEREAS, This reality is reflected in numerous laws enacted
14 by the General Assembly, including Pennsylvania's child abuse
15 laws and criminal laws against statutory sexual assault and the
16 sexual exploitation of minors; and
17 WHEREAS, The publications of Professor Rind and like-minded
18 persons may serve to legitimize the sexual exploitation of
19 children in the twisted minds of child molesters and potential
20 pedophiles by providing them with a rationalization that such
21 repulsive behavior, if consensual, does little or no harm in the
22 vast majority of cases; and
23 WHEREAS, Articles that soft-pedal the impact of pedophilic
24 relationships, if consensual, are particularly harmful when they
25 benefit from the prestige of their author being associated with
26 the name of a respected and credible institution like Temple
27 University and benefit from publication in a prestigious journal
28 like the Psychological Bulletin of the American Psychological
29 Association; therefore be it
30 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives condemn the
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1 dangerous and irresponsible studies of Professor Rind and others
2 which claim or suggest that consensual pedophilia does not
3 produce pervasive and intensely negative effects in the vast
4 majority of cases since such studies can only serve to encourage
5 the sexual exploitation of children and to lend aid and comfort
6 to child molesters; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
8 Governor Thomas J. Ridge, Thomas DeWalt, Executive Officer of
9 the American Psychological Association, to Peter J. Liacouras,
10 President of Temple University and to Professor Bruce Rind of
11 Temple University.
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