Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

nificance in the presence of children and make every effort to keep
them in ignorance of the reproductive process. Among the natives of the
Western Carolines, also, sex is never discussed before children, especially
girls. Cuna children remain ignorant of sexual matters, as far
as adult instruction is concerned, until the last stages of the marriage
ceremony. Chagga children are told that babies come out of the
forest. (Ford and Beach, 1951, p. 180).
In a number of these societies particular pains are taken to prevent
offspring from accidentally observing sexual behavior. In some instances,
as among the Murgin of Australia, boys are removed from the
family dwelling to the boys’ house or bachelors, house when they are
four or five years old; this is done for the specific purpose of preventing
them from witnessing sexual behavior at home. Cuna children are
not even allowed to watch animals give birth. (Ford and Beach, 1951, p.
180).
Deliberate excitation of one’s genitals is considered a perversion
by adults in many societies. In the past at least, the adults in the
United States have attempted to prevent preadolescents from engaging in
masturbatory activity. However, in a recent study (Abelson, Cohen,
Heaton, and Suder, 1970) 911 American men and 1370 American women were
asked how a parent should react to masturbation on the part of a twelve
or thirteen year old boy or girl. The results indicate that the adult
respondents were generally tolerant of preadolescent or early adolescent
masturbation. They would “discuss” or “discourage” rather than
“punish” or “forbid” it. Approximately one-fourth to one-half of all
male and female respondents indicated that they would “discuss” the
matter with the twelve or thirteen year old.
Other Adult-Sponsored Controls On the
Sexual Encounters Of Preadolescents
Public Opinion and Sex Laws
Children, preadolescents, and adolescents encounter adults and
their sexual proscriptions through encounters with adult-molded public
opinion, laws, institutions, and various adult functionaries such as
the police. Public opinion in the United States has largely accepted
the Judeo-Christian restrictions on most sexual encounters outside of
marriage. No state makes it a criminal offense for an individual to engage
in self-masturbation, but two states (Indiana and Wyoming) consider
it to be a crime to encourage another person to masturbate.
Offenses that involve incest (the most common forms being fatherdaughter
or stepfather-stepdaughter and brother-sister) and offenses
that involve the use of force in obtaining sexual gratification are intensely
condemned by the public (as well as by their representatives
the police) in the United States. Though there is evidence that children
might in some cases be willing accomplices to the offense, or
might indeed be seductive, the onus is always on the adult offender and
pursuit by the police is vigorous. (Gagnon and Simon, March 1968).
The School
If parents or other adults are to be the source of the child’s
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