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In light of Jeffrey Epstein's suicide here's a thread on exposed sex offenders and suicide. #metoo #churchtoo #CSA
When sex offenders are exposed and are being held responsible for their criminal actions some are at risk of committing suicide. Expert Anna C. Salter notes this in her books "Predators, Pedophiles, Rapists, & Other Sex Offenders" and "Transforming Trauma"
@Nicole_Bromley experienced this when her abusive stepfather committed suicide after she disclosed his abuse.
my ex-husband - a few weeks before his victim disclosed, talked to me about his desire to commit suicide one afternoon, most likely for two reasons -one to get me to feel sorry for him, and two he rightly was anticipating the imminent disclosure of his victim.
So, why is suicide a common risk for exposed sex offenders? I have a few thoughts but I would love to hear some other opinions as well.
One of my daughters - whose father is my ex the sex offender -suggested that is because the do not like that others know the truth about them. They experience shame but also anger that they can no longer control others' image of them.
Some may suggest that the suicide is evidence that the offender is experiencing remorse. Yet experts like Salter note that the statements offenders give after being exposed are more about themselves and not about the harm their abuse has caused their victims and/or loved ones.
for example, Salter writes that one offender "was lamenting the consequences [to him] of disclosure, not the harmfulness of abuse" "Transforming Trauma" (93).
She writes about how common this is and quotes another expert stating " Genuine contrition in a perpetrator is a rare miracle."
It seems that suicide is a risk for exposed offenders because of their loss of control over their lives, their victims, and the self image they have spent so long cultivating. Remorse has nothing to do with. #metoo #churchtoo #CSA
