I just meant that it's illegal to view or possess child porn in most jurisdictions.
That's what I thought you meant. And yeah, I disagree with the logic behind those laws.
I'll say it this way then. A victim of child molestation is damaged greatly. Getting off on the evidence of that tragedy is also a pretty screwed up act, all by itself, and one that should continue to be punishable.
Pretty screwed up, yes, but not punishable, I don't believe, unless they're first offered counseling to help them avoid acting on their desires and/or shift their fantasies into more acceptable domain, without the severely life-altering consequences that are presently not only likely but almost certain. If they're unresponsive or uncooperative, then perhaps more severe actions should be taken.
Some men just want to watch the world burn. And then masturbate. Both of which make them feel better about their own miserable selves. And as long as they're not starting fires, I don't see the harm. People will do desperate things when they're suffering from severe depression. Self-harm or drinking your liver to death are probably more harmful physically; bizarre and socially unacceptable fetishes are probably more damaging to the psyche. All of it just tends to build a moat around the depressed individual and distance him/her from society, fostering a growing illusion of a desert island - far from any help, and more importantly, not worth helping anyway. Yes, some counseling would probably help, but prison certainly won't.
I don't believe that most pedos are happy about the way they are. And the ones who're complacent in the fact are that way because they've been hardened by hiding it for so long. My opinion. Probably could be backed up by medical fact, but I don't have the facts, so ... take it for whatever you think it's worth.
Thank you very much for the discussion, though. It's been a good one, but I don't think we'll convince each other.
Not a problem. Thanks too for a reasoned conversation; often as not it's just trolls throwing accusations of pedophilia to see if they strike a nerve.