[Chapter Thirteen, Josh: Mandatoryreporting with juveniles]

SPEAKER 1: One of the real problemsthat we have right here, especiallywith the mandatory reporting, and with Megan's Lawand the Adam Walsh Act.And I've read some about when parents think their children ishaving this problem, the unfortunate realityis they really can't go out and get

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: them help without risking having the child arrestedand being forced to register as a sexoffender for the rest of their lives.I mean, that's our authority.And I'm kind of like thinking to myself,it's a screwed society, because Ithink everyone just automatically assumes, well,

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: people who do this are evil.It's like, no.I mean, 40% of the child molestation casesinvolving young children involve perpetratorswho are under the age of 18.And research has shown that adolescentsdefend for much different reasons than adults.So I think there's a lot of things

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: we could do to intervene.And I believe that allowing, givingthe opportunity to have children, or adolescents,or young adults who are struggling with this issueto talk to a therapist, to talk to a counselorwithout having to risk having their actions disclosed

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: to child protection services, to the police, to whoever,you'd do a lot better at getting help.Because I was 15, and I wanted help.But there was such a backlash, a negative reaction in my lifeboth with my uncle threatening me,and with me no longer trusting my therapist,and me-- I was basically thinking,

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: well-- I sort of started minimizingwhat I was doing because I thought, well,if I'm totally honest with the authorities,then I'm going to prison.That's what I thought as a 15-year-sold.And so it's, I mean, it's disgusting that we as a societyreally are so hell bent about catching these people

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: that we don't take any protective actions to stop itfrom happening.