B4U-ACT Responds to False Claim in “I, Pedophile” Documentary

On March 10, 2016, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation aired a documentary titled “I, Pedophile” (by Matthew Campea and Cogent Benger Productions, Inc.) that makes a false and damaging claim about B4U-ACT, which advocates for ethical and compassionate mental health services for minor-attracted people. The documentary, in reference to B4U-ACT, shows the following text on the screen: “Many of its members have been known to pursue sexual contact with children.” This statement is completely false. B4U-ACT does not endorse or support any activity with children that is illegal or harmful to them in any way.

B4U-ACT has been advocating for access to mental health support services for minor-attracted individuals since 2003. The charity has done this through providing educational workshops, facilitating support groups, and by building relationships with therapists, social workers, academics, researchers, journalists, and members of the general community. B4U-ACT is proud to have received funding from both the state of Maryland and private donors in order to carry out the charity’s important work of helping the extremely under-served population of individuals who identify as having a primary attraction to children and/or adolescents.

B4U-ACT will continue to work toward the goal of ensuring that there are accessible mental health services for minor-attracted persons, and will endeavor to thrive in spite of any misinformation or attacks made against it, as these mental health services are so desperately needed in Maryland and around the world.

Comments(3)

sean says
April 23, 2016 at 2:09 am

I think B4U-ACT’s refusal to engage in pro-choice/anti-contact arguments is crucial to its work with minor attracted people and one the strongest elements of its constitution.

The assumption that the question of sexual contact is important or even relevant to most MAPs is simple prejudice. Not all paedophiles are interested in sexual contact with children and most accept that it is socially problematic, potentially harmful and simply not worth the risk.

The agnostic stance is also a rejection of the idea that pro-choice MAPs are somehow less worthy of support, understanding and respect. A pro-choice stance does not imply sexual conduct with children or any other kind of wrong doing, and compulsory submission to sex abuse dogma should not be a prerequisite for the right to seek representation.

It would seem to me that it is in society’s best interest to have even sexually active paedophiles participate in this dialog, and the slander in the documentary is just another example of commentators being more interested in their own sanctimonious moralizing than they are in the safety and well being of children.

Sean
Steven says
April 23, 2016 at 2:45 am

These journalists need to be held responsible for the lies they tell. What they did was libel by publishing a false statement that is damaging to your organization’s reputation. Unfortunately, it rarely gets prosecuted and so they continue to do it with impunity.
Gary Gibson says
May 12, 2016 at 2:17 pm

While the Association for Sexual Abuse Prevention does take a stand against any sexual interaction between an adult and a child, we respect B4U-ACT in their decision to not take such a strong stand and appreciate the niche they fill in reaching out to those who believe intergenerational sex may be appropriate under certain circumstances but refrain from acting on it. I enjoyed the documentary but was disappointed that it contained such flagrant misinformation.

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