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Adolescent sex offenders may be the result of mere naïve curiosity, or it may be
imitation, the child being initiated by some adult. Adequate teenage sex
education and
an understanding of the consequences of illicit sexual practices should prevent
much of the behavior, but ignorance, impulsiveness, excessive sexual
development or excessive stimulation, and certain physical factors render some
young people rather prone to such forms of delinquency. Serious cases nearly
always call for thorough medical and psychological investigation and treatment.
Masturbation, which first occurred in babyhood and from time to time during
childhood, will tend to occur again. Nearly all adolescents practice it from
time to time. It will occur more often among those children who are unhappy,
inactive, and thrown too much upon their own resources, with insufficient
contact with young people. It is very important that false threats of the evil
consequences of the habit should not be made. It is essentially harmless in that
it relieves pent-up energy. It may render the child fatigued and listless, but
the evil effects of threats that it may cause fundamental physical and mental
harm are far greater. Something is wrong if masturbation
is very frequent, but treatment should follow the lines of providing alternative
outlets for energy, and adequate external interests. If the child is obviously
unhappy, the source of emotional conflict should be explored and some attempt
made to reduce the child's rich fantasy life, which is likely to be unusually
vivid, by a competent psychiatrist.
It must be borne in mind that the present disturbances rest primarily on early
conflicts and disturbed conditions of upbringing. The heightened tensions of
adolescence tend to stir up earlier feelings and conflicts which have lain
dormant during the middle years. Old antagonisms towards parents, fears,
hostilities and sexual anxieties are re-activated, and may create much emotional
upheaval in the growing boy or girl, who is disturbed by feelings puzzling to
him and by situations beyond his capacity for adjustment. Creative activities,
expression in art or drama or poetry, will help to drain off some of this
pent-up emotion, but sublimation may not be sufficient and it is wisest to
consult the expert if the condition is at all serious. |