Hey, so, just to be clear: You don't need to have trauma to enjoy fictional content of *any* kind. Just because abuse survivors use it to cope doesn't mean that's the only valid means of interacting with taboo fiction.

You can just find it hot, or maybe you like the power dynamics at play, or want to explore some really dark material just to flex your creative muscles. Human brains are wonderfully complicated and playing pretend is our favorite past time.

There's so much talk about whether or not interacting with taboo fiction is a healthy coping mechanism or not, that those who enjoy it for other reasons get completely left out of the conversation. Which is a shame, because a lot of them have extraordinary content to share.

Fiction doesn't require credentials. You don't need to be a certain amount, or a certain kind of traumatized to play pretend. So long as you have a healthy distinction between reality and fantasy, fiction is harmless.

Abuse survivors, those who use fiction just to get their rocks off, and those who fall into both categories are just as valid as all the rest. They can coexist, and one isn't better than the other.

Also art is not and never will be CSEM: https://twitter.com/SkottTheHot/status/1203966596521156610

And then the part of this thread that's going to be controversial: those with paraphilias should be allowed and encouraged to find outlets through fiction. MAPs, zoos, those with incestuous feelings towards loved ones; they all deserve support and basic human rights.

Having an unfortunate attraction that is not going to just go away, and which has no conversion therapy cure, should not result in them becoming shunned by society where they have no support to deal with their attractions safely and without creating victims.

Stop focusing so much on punishment, and start looking at preventative measures. I sure would rather someone get their jollies off to lines on paper - whether written or drawn - than an actual living person. Wouldn't you? (This is rhetorical, I'm not asking.)

Due to being a CSA survivor, I've done most of my research on MAPs, but I know it's broadly applicable to other paraphilias as well. But here's why you shouldn't be so quick to throw those with paraphilias under the bus: https://twitter.com/SkottTheHot/status/1221633302295019520

By pretending those with paraphilias don't exist until they offend and create victims is careless and irresponsible. Prevention starts at the source, and it doesn't include prison, or conversion, or a death sentence ffs.

Roughly half of sexual offenders don't offend due to sexual attraction; they do it for power. Children and animals happen to be the most vulnerable, and the most likely to fall victim to those sorts. That's why education on these topics is important.

To focus purely on those with paraphilias is to ignore the core of the problem, which is abuse. 90 - 95% of pedophiles never offend in their lives, and of those remaining who do, they make up only half of child sexual offenders.

And about half of *those* are committed by other children aged 12 - 14. (Sources are all linked in the thread I shared above.)

Anyways, predators don't have to be attracted to those they victimize, and that's something that needs to be talked about more.

My ADHD keeps making these threads about one thing and then taking me down tangents RIP

Tl;dr Fiction is fine, actually, no matter how much trauma you do or don't have and no matter who you're attracted to.

The line is crossed when you offend against an actual person or animal.

You can also donate to these preventative organizations:
https://prostasia.org/about/ 
https://www.rainn.org/about-rainn 
https://www.ispcan.org/organization-and-leadership/

If you find yourself being abused, text or call someone who can help.
https://www.thehotline.org/ 
https://www.crisistextline.org/ 
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us 
https://needhelpnow.ca/app/en/ 

And if you find yourself attracted to children, there's help for you, too.
https://www.b4uact.org/know-the-facts/faq/
https://mapaccuracy.wixsite.com/blog/for-maps 
https://www.virped.org/ 

Please seek help if you think you're a danger to others, or yourself. You deserve support.

Unfortunately I do not have similar resources for zoophiles as it's not something I've researched, so I'm not going to do a google search and offer up the first results I see when I can't vouch for them. But you also deserve support.

I know most folks aren't going to be particularly happy with the direction the last half of this thread took, but it's important and I won't shut up about it until people start being proactive instead of reactive.

Education and prevention, not censorship and punishment.