Pedophile Social Worker

Here's my current deal.

I'm in university studying sociology with the goal of becomming a social worker. I have molested a child but is turning back on the right path (I'm aware of my deeds and know they're all kinds of wrong).

I'm in a huge dilemma. Should I give up my hope of becoming a social worker? OR should I use my experience in helping other sexual offenders when/if I finish my education? What do you guys think?

I don't think you should give up becoming a social worker.

As long as you're becoming a social worker because you genuinely want to help children and make their lives better, I don't think anyone can tell you you're "wrong" for wanting to be a social worker. If that's what you really want to do, and you can do it without harming anyone, then by all means do it. Don't take things lightly, don't settle for a career you don't want just because some people told you that you shouldn't be allowed to be a social worker.

While you're still in school, you could go and get an internship in that field, or shadow a social worker, and see if you think you can manage your pedophilia when you're in that kind of environment every day. If you have good self-control it really shouldn't be a problem.

Don't be so hard on yourself...believe me, I so understand (I'm studying to be a nurse despite some people telling me I shouldn't be, and on my worst days I don't feel like I should either). Try to keep the goal in sight and ignore the people who try to put you down. You can always prove them wrong.

skeleton-countess wrote:I don't think you should give up becoming a social worker.

As long as you're becoming a social worker because you genuinely want to help children and make their lives better, I don't think anyone can tell you you're "wrong" for wanting to be a social worker. If that's what you really want to do, and you can do it without harming anyone, then by all means do it. Don't take things lightly, don't settle for a career you don't want just because some people told you that you shouldn't be allowed to be a social worker.

While you're still in school, you could go and get an internship in that field, or shadow a social worker, and see if you think you can manage your pedophilia when you're in that kind of environment every day. If you have good self-control it really shouldn't be a problem.

Don't be so hard on yourself...believe me, I so understand (I'm studying to be a nurse despite some people telling me I shouldn't be, and on my worst days I don't feel like I should either). Try to keep the goal in sight and ignore the people who try to put you down. You can always prove them wrong.

Thanks! Though working with children is absolutely out of the question. I can't legal-wise and besides it's not an area that interrests me. What I was thinking was becoming a social worker dealing with reintegrating criminals ino society, so I was actually thinking of writing my bachelor on reintegrating sexual predators, amongst those pedophiles, into a normal life-setting.

That or integration of immigrants...

Though, my study-director told me there's two ways that idea will fold out. Either it will work or I will find myself in a situation that would bring me down every day, eventually destroying myself. So time will tell.

I'm happy to see that my idea isn't completely far out!

And good luck on that nurse thing Countess! My aunt is a nurse and has been for 40 years and she's the most wonderful person I know.

Oh, then if you weren't going to work with children, I don't see what the problem would be. Nothing far out about it I thought you meant you wanted to work with children...

Either it will work or I will find myself in a situation that would bring me down every day, eventually destroying myself.

Why would it bring you down? Because you'd be working with people who remind you of yourself? But think of all the good you could do.

skeleton-countess wrote:Oh, then if you weren't going to work with children, I don't see what the problem would be. Nothing far out about it I thought you meant you wanted to work with children...

Either it will work or I will find myself in a situation that would bring me down every day, eventually destroying myself.

Why would it bring you down? Because you'd be working with people who remind you of yourself? But think of all the good you could do.

The problem lies in the ethical ideas of someone who has hurt another person, working in a carreer where helping people is the #1 priority.

I'm still very new to my situation and hasn't reached a point where I will be able to say "It's over" by far. If I need to distance myself from all of this, it might be extremely counter-productive to spend your everyday reminding yourself of a hurtful past. But I guess time will show if I am capable, but I think I'll continue my study.

The problem lies in the ethical ideas of someone who has hurt another person, working in a carreer where helping people is the #1 priority.

I don't think so. It sounds like you're just giving up on yourself, dismissing yourself as inadequate before you even tried. If you want to be a good person, be a good person. If you want to help people, then help them, and it's a good thing no matter who is doing it.

I understand, though, as I've been told my sexuality is "incompatible" with a job about healing people. But I always say that my sexuality doesn't have to intersect with my work life. And neither does yours. When you're at work, you're working, helping people, and your past actions don't even need to enter the picture.

Good luck. Keep working at it, and make sure to be honest with yourself.

ineedhope wrote:Here's my current deal.

I'm in university studying sociology with the goal of becomming a social worker. I have molested a child but is turning back on the right path (I'm aware of my deeds and know they're all kinds of wrong).

I'm in a huge dilemma. Should I give up my hope of becoming a social worker? OR should I use my experience in helping other sexual offenders when/if I finish my education? What do you guys think?

Gotta say, sounds a bad idea. While it is great you never intend to offend again, spending time hearing about offending will be a terrible potential trigger for reoffending.

Plus any social work will almost certainly bring you into contact with the familes of offenders - kids and all.

skeleton-countess wrote:

The problem lies in the ethical ideas of someone who has hurt another person, working in a carreer where helping people is the #1 priority.

I don't think so. It sounds like you're just giving up on yourself, dismissing yourself as inadequate before you even tried. If you want to be a good person, be a good person. If you want to help people, then help them, and it's a good thing no matter who is doing it.

I understand, though, as I've been told my sexuality is "incompatible" with a job about healing people. But I always say that my sexuality doesn't have to intersect with my work life. And neither does yours. When you're at work, you're working, helping people, and your past actions don't even need to enter the picture.

Good luck. Keep working at it, and make sure to be honest with yourself.

You are so, damn, right! Thanks!

-- Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:25 am --

platonic wrote:

ineedhope wrote:Here's my current deal.

I'm in university studying sociology with the goal of becomming a social worker. I have molested a child but is turning back on the right path (I'm aware of my deeds and know they're all kinds of wrong).

I'm in a huge dilemma. Should I give up my hope of becoming a social worker? OR should I use my experience in helping other sexual offenders when/if I finish my education? What do you guys think?

Gotta say, sounds a bad idea. While it is great you never intend to offend again, spending time hearing about offending will be a terrible potential trigger for reoffending.

Plus any social work will almost certainly bring you into contact with the familes of offenders - kids and all.

That was my fear aswell, that it might trigger. But understand that social work isn't just about children. In my country social workers tend to affairs from unemployment, integration of immigrants, psychiatry, people with disabilities, general law and order in connection with the police and many more.

I totally see what you're saying, but the above mentioned areas are actually pretty well seperated to allow a field of speciality to be created for the social workers in them. I will let time show, if I can feel that I will not be able to take distance from my problem, of course I won't be doing work with sexual predators, but with immigrations or unemployment. Time will show

Who on earth is going to hire you into a high empathy job with a record like that?

Think about your marketability that way - you have none
That being said yes almost everyone in the mental health field has some kind of record sorry yours is just a bit much

Just being honest. You would never be hired any where in my opinion

Pink01 wrote:Who on earth is going to hire you into a high empathy job with a record like that?

Think about your marketability that way - you have none
That being said yes almost everyone in the mental health field has some kind of record sorry yours is just a bit much

Just being honest. You would never be hired any where in my opinion

I hate to agree, but your record isn't just pinching some fruit, so being hired for any job in a social setting is going to be an issue. Best intentions don't count for much.

I know you intend not to reoffend, but it's a job that will expose you to vulnerable people. Triggers aplenty.

Like the rest of us offenders, you may need to consider a career change.