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Effects of Persecution

Even writers who strongly disapprove of sexual activities with children are nearly unanimous in their opinion that questioning by the police and in court, physical examination by police doctors, etc., are far more traumatising and inflict upon the boy far more lasting damage that whateveer may have happened in the secual field. The following list does not pretend to be complete; it cites just a few of the authors who have expressed this view:

In the English language: Anderson, Bender & Blau, Brunold, Burditt, Cohen, Farson, Finch, Gagnon & Simon, Gebhard, Geiser, Gibbens & Prince, Guttmacher, Henriquez, Joint Council of Teenagers, Kinsey, Landis, Linedecker, McCaghy, Mohr, Moody, NAMBLA, Nichols, Peters, Rush, Schofield, Schultz, B.Taylor, Turner, Walter, Weeks, West, Wilson & Cox, P. Wilson, The Wolfenden Committee.

In the French language: Aron & Kemfp, Boulin, Carpentier, Graven, Scherer.

In the German language: Albrecht, Baurmann, Behrend, Bennhold-Thomsen, Bleibtreu-Ehrenberg, Bornemann, Döring, Fisch, Frey, Geisler, Groffmann, Hanack, Herren, Hirschfeld, Jacobi, Kaiser, Kentler, Kerschner, Kilias, Körner, Lautmann, Leferenz, Lempp, Marbe, Mayer, Meinert, Messerer, Meyer, Mönkemöller, Müller-Hess, Müller-Lückmann, Nau, Schimmack, Schüler-Springorum, Siemens, Steinhilper, Stern, Störzer, Stutte, Vogel, Wyss.

In the Dutch language: Abspoel, Geradts, Hart de Ruyter, van der Kwast, de Leeuw-Aalbers, Möller, Pieterse, Rouweler-Wutz, Sandfort, Schwartz, Zeegers.

(Brongersma,p.115)

According to Baurmann 1983, for one-fifth of all harmed victims of sexual offenses (including rape) the reaction of society was the main reason for harm.


Störzer 1978, p.104

Symptoms of psychological distress occasioned by judicial examination include, according to experts, displays of self-importance, inhibitions, timiditym shyness, bewilderment, anxiety, excitement, breakdown, attempted suicide. In one group of 33 children examined after police questioning by psychologists or psychiatrists in order to test the veracity of their statements, 31 exhibited such symptoms.

(Brongersma,p.120)


Gibbons & Prince

In another sample of sexually abused children, 56% of those who did not have to appear in court recovered quickly, in contrast to only 18% of those who were questioned by a judge.

(Brongersma,p.120) (Brongersma,p.120)


Körner

The psychiatrist Zeegers quoted his colleague Körner as saying, "We might well ask whether the real crime of child abuse is not committed in the courtroom." In 141 cases he examined, Körner found that in 10% the child had suffered physical or mental harm from the sexual activity - and in 29.2% harm had been inflicted by the interrogation.

(Brongersma,p.120)


Rosenfeld 1979

It is common clinical opinion that most court procedures used in incest cases in this country may be more harmful than the molestation itself.

(Brongersma,p.133)