"Who in their right mind would inflict pain and suffering on anyone, especially children? Understanding that these people are not quite right has gone a long way to dispel the guilt I felt when it happened to me. I understood that it was not my fault. The person was just sick.

Are we saying there is no hope of rehabilitation for these people? If indeed it is an addiction which does fall into spectrum of mental health, then there are ways to deal with it."

People who are abused as children often feel guilt, Virginia Tam. I'm really glad you've been able to come to terms with it. :)

The problem with paedophilia, from what I've seen and read, is that there is no "cure" - at least not at the moment. Did you see the programme on Sarah's Law a few years ago? It's a comulsive activity, and I agree that it is a profound mental disorder. But the cases of recidivism, even amongst those who have finished treatment perogrammes, is extremely high. there are arguments about whether offenders can be "cured".

That's why it's the only type of "crime" which I think should be punished by a full life sentence, at least until some proven treatment method is discovered. In fact, it might be helpful if it were reclassified as a mental illness full stop, and if offenders were treated in the same way as someone, say, with psychosis would be if they committed a crime.