this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2026
569 points (98.6% liked)
People Twitter
9539 readers
1306 users here now
People tweeting stuff. We allow tweets from anyone.
RULES:
- Mark NSFW content.
- No doxxing people.
- Must be a pic of the tweet or similar. No direct links to the tweet.
- No bullying or international politcs
- Be excellent to each other.
- Provide an archived link to the tweet (or similar) being shown if it's a major figure or a politician. Archive.is the best way.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Would be nice if there was term that lumped in those who sexually abuse minors directly (regardless of the person's attractions) and those who consume CSAM that wasn't simultaneously the term to describe the sexual or romantic attraction to children. But any attempt at trying to separate the two frequently seems to be portrayed as somehow defending those who abuse children or some similar baseless accusation.
Still agree with the intended message of Ilhan (although perhaps execution is perhaps to forgiving to those involved with Epstein).
It's certainly difficult to have a mature conversation about the actual mental illness and people not wanting to feel how they feel, and people who physically abuse children and consume CSAM.
The former should not be lumped in with the latter. That's like me fantasizing about killing my boss, not actually committing homicide, and being lumped in with serial killers. One is thoughts and feelings, the other is actual action and acting on those feelings.
I have a crush on a married woman at my local market. I can feel how I feel as much as I want, knowing I can't (or rather shouldn't) act on those feelings.
Yeah. Both are disgusting, but they aren't the same thing. I don't know if I'm convinced the nuance is worth muddying the waters though.
I mean, if one person just has an attraction to children, and another abuses them, rapes them, and consumes CSAM... Those are two very different people. And the lumping of them together makes the former afraid of seeking help and admitting those feelings to anyone to try and get better, seek treatment/therapy, etc because then people like yourself characterized them automatically as the latter.
Oh you missunderstand what I mean. I don't see much value in making a strong distinction between someone who personally, sexually abused minors, and someone who consumed CSAM. Both sets of people are monsters regardless of their motivation.
Someone who is attracted to children but isn't consuming CSAM or otherwise harming anyone is just a person who needs help with their terrible affliction before they do hurt someone. That is a distinction worth making.