The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure = Potential for Disaster

Violence against children in any form is a major public health concern.The Federal Bureau of Investigations as well as the National Institute of Health report that there are approximately 400,000 sex offenders living in the United States and that number keeps on climbing.  At the same time, rates of kidnapping and human trafficking continue to increase. 

According to the 2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, it is estimated that more than 1.2 million children under the age of eighteen are trafficked each year and among children trafficked, the two most common types of enslavement pertain to sexual exploitation or drug trade. 

I contend that the controversial book The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure can be very dangerous in the hands of a sex offender or an individual prone to violence. While I doubt that the book outwardly suggests that pedophiles should act on their feelings, both the author and amazon should consider that this book may serve to validate and encourage the very urges that can sometimes lead to this horrific form of violence.   

Below are statistics on sex offenders in the United States: 

There are approximately 400, 000 registered sex offenders in the US alone. Convicted rapists report that two-thirds of their victims were under 18 and 58% of those said their victims were age 12 or under. In 1994 only one third of the victims said that they reported being raped to a law enforcement agency. In 90% of the rapes of children under 12 years old, the offender knew the victim. 8 out of 10 rapists are released prior to trial. 61% of violent sex offenders have a prior record. 8 out of 10 sexual assailants reported that their victim was under 18. The median age of victims of imprisoned sex offenders was 13 years old. 24% of those serving time for rape and 19% of the ones serving time for sex assault were on probation at the time of arrest for rape or sexual assault. 28% of released rapists were rearrested within 3 years and charged for a new violent crime. 8 % of those are charged with another rape. Released rapists were found to be 10.5 times as likely as non-rapists to be rearrested for rape and those who served time are found to be 7.5 times as likely as those convicted of other crimes to be rearrested for a new sexual assault. The typical child sex offender molests an average of 117 children, most of who do not report the offense.  Source: National Institute of Mental Health, 1988.

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins!

Now that Halloween is over, you may find yourself with more pumpkins than you know what to do with.

But they don't have to go to waste. If you haven't carved them, consider boiling the pumpkin meat and turning it in to a puree to be used in snacks, baked goods (some recipes below), or sneak it in to mac and cheese.

Pumpkin puree freezes great and can be used throughout the year. I even have a friend that mixes it in to her yogurt. I was skeptical at first, but I have tried it and it is very tasty!

Save the Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkins are a great source of beta carotene, dietary fiber, calcium, and the seeds are considered a protein.
But if you don't want to eat the seeds, why not save them?  Place the pumpkin seeds on a paper towel, let them dry and then you and your children can plant them together in May. Planting the pumpkins for next year can be a great way to get your kids excited about eating vegetables in general and teach them basic concepts in science.

Here are a few recipes I enjoy. And check out my own bread pudding recipe too, in the next post.

Pumpkin Bisque: ( I like to add a diced apple and a pinch of curry and I use a can of fat-free evaporated milk instead of heavy cream, cuts on the fat and adds a unique flavor for grown-ups)
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1848,157160-245207,00.html

Dairy-Free Super-Healthy Pumpkin Bread:
http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/breadsbakery/r/pumpkinbread.htm

Pumpkin Bread:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/Detail.aspx

Pumpkin Cookies:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pumpkin-cookies-i-2/Detail.aspx