When discussing any MAP-related issue, it surely won’t be long before a 'victim of abuse' steps in to ‘set the record straight’. They will inevitably use their experience to condemn a very broad range of feelings and actions, whether or not that experience is in any way applicable. In this article, I’ll be doing a massive no-no by arguing that they are way out of line, and that rather than them being silenced as they might claim, their voices are in fact too loud and distorted.

Prologue

In response to my article on Emma Jane Taylor, a businesswoman who seeks to profit from inciting hysteria over the embattled Huw Edwards’ commentary on Substack, someone left the following comment:

This article is very wide of the mark, littered with Ignorance, and avoids the basics. As a victim of CSA myself, there will always be, sadly, an element who seemingly refuse to educate themselves with the realities of CSO. This is just one more.

First, let’s discuss what it means to be ‘educated’. I am fairly well-read on issues related to minor-attraction, AMSC, and criminalized images of minors. I’ve probably read a lot more than the individual who left this comment. However, what I will not do is parrot uncritically. Sadly, it seems that to show oneself to be 'educated' means to blindly repeat what one has read, whether the information comes from a scientific article, book, or even from a social media group where everyone confidently repeats the same misunderstandings over and over again.

Here's an example. I have discussed in previous writings how ‘scientific’ articles on the purportedly damaging effects of AMSC are horrendously flawed. I have explained that even back in the 80s, before it had been supposedly proven that AMSC was inherently harmful, all studies set out with that premise as an established reality, failing to separate rape victims from non-rape cases in their samples. My claim that “minors can consent” is not a case of me "refusing to educate" myself. It is the very definition of an educated perspective, run through a highly critical lens, even if many who would call themselves educated come to an entirely different conclusion.

My short article on the broad spectrum of AMSC is an essential read before continuing with this piece.

Questioning the victims' claims

Vocal 'victims' tend to claim the following:

Victims are silenced and ignored, while pedophiles and child sexual abuse are celebrated

Firstly, given the incredibly wide range of experiences of AMSC and the fact that many MAPs do not even engage in AMSC regardless of their philosophical stance, I ask how 'victims of CSA’ think they have the right to insist that their experience defines the entire spectrum. This demand has a very main character syndrome vibe, and it comes as no surprise that it is a domain frequented by Karens like Emma Jane Taylor. When these people attack MAPs who have never committed an offense, or have merely viewed images that were neither solicited nor paid for, the 'victims' are frankly way out of line.

Contrary to what they state, that pedophiles are celebrated while 'victims' are forced to stay quiet, 'victims of CSA’ are allowed to dominate the airspace. Meanwhile, people who might have had a positive experience of AMSC as kids are forced to stay quiet, lest they invite the scorn of a society that will only accept one unwavering narrative. Actual MAPs are censored just about everywhere, even if they advocate a purely non-offending stance, and even when their commentary does not violate platform rules.

As a bit of a thought experiment for those 'victims' who bizarrely insist pedophiles are celebrated, picture what might happen if a 'victim of CSA' and a self-identified non-offending pedophile were to simultaneously make an account on Facebook. Who would receive the most support? Who would receive the most threats? Which account would be disabled first? I think everyone, including those 'victims' who claim they aren’t listened to, knows the real answers.

I ultimately ask the question nobody else dares. That is one of which is harder, to live as a 'victim of CSA’, or as a well-meaning MAP in today’s world? 'Victims' certainly don’t have to constantly worry about hiding like MAPs. If a 'victim' shares all in person, they will be offered compassion. If a MAP does the same, they will be offered a shotgun and told to kill themselves, even if they have never acted on their feelings. If a 'victim' seeks support on social media, they can get it easily. On the contrary, the MAP account will be banned while those engaging in suicide-baiting and threats of violence will be celebrated.

The need for a MAP narrative

Many people in real life are oddly drawn to me – I have no idea why – and as a MAP I mostly push them away because I could never feel any true connection with someone who cannot know such a major part of my identity. This ironically nudges me to spend more time with children to avoid loneliness. In more serious cases among other MAPs, it has led to despair, the most extreme example being the teenager who murdered his family and was thankfully stopped minutes before he committed a mass shooting. If this man had been able to share his feelings outside of radical MAP spaces, the murders could have been prevented. However, unlike 'victims', MAPs cannot cannot do this without the risk of losing their job or having police show up at their door, even when they need help.

If any change is needed, it is not to listen more to 'victims', but to listen more to MAPs. There are countless organizations to support 'victims of CSA’, while there are very few to support MAPs, even for those who have never hurt anyone or committed a crime. Although there are ‘abuse prevention’ charities, that is not the help which is always needed or wanted. Indeed, helping someone deal with stigma and isolation is quite possibly the best way to prevent problematic behavior. I've seen MAPs commit crimes not because they were immoral or truly sex-crazed, but because they became so angry and depressed they no longer cared about anything at all. Their actions may have been wrong, yet without being able to safely access support for the depression, which would necessitate discussing one of the core drivers, the outcome was not altogether surprising.

Sadly, the concept of a MAP leading a troubled life with good intentions is seemingly lost on almost everyone. It's just too complex for the goodie/baddie narrative. The vast majority of people reading my content assume I absolutely must be molesting my students, even though I’ve been very clear that secondary harm exists and is a major reason to avoid criminalized contact. I have never had sex with any of my students, even though I'm philosophically pro-choice and find some of them very attractive. By listening more to MAPs, society might actually learn a lot about a group they’re utterly terrified of, and do better at preventing negative outcomes for people of all ages. Why is everyone so reticent to do this? Is it because they enjoy having a folk devil to attack, instead of seeking to protect children?

On MAPs as victims

Unsupportive readers will no doubt be asking, is this man portraying MAPs as victims? And to an extent, I am. That doesn’t make sense if you picture all MAPs as drooling, sadistic rapists. Unfortunately, that is what most people do.

So let me be clear for those who still don't fucking get it. If a MAP has never hurt a child, but they live a life of isolation and misery in the knowledge that people might kill them if their feelings were ever discovered, they are absolutely a victim. More controversially, I’d argue that a person arrested for viewing criminalized images they didn’t solicit or purchase is also a victim, as I’ve never seen someone argue from a point of logic (rather than emotion) that such an act is harmful. Even more contentiously, I put it to readers that a person who has done something harmful, but has been pushed by a vicious and hateful society, is both a perpetrator and a victim. It needn’t be absolutely black-and-white.

Call to action

The mainstream 'goodie and baddie' approach to this topic is incredibly childish. It’s amazing that the majority of western adults go along with it. We cannot allow this to slide. We need to publish our feelings wherever we can, spread them as widely as possible despite the extreme censorship we face. If you’re a MAP or an ally, please do your best to draw attention to my work, however and wherever that may be. We must not let the backward narrative dominate.