Masturbation was once considered more offensive than child abuse

[n2doc]

By Therese Oneill

I
've written many articles based on Victorian/Edwardian advice books. There was advice for everything, from how to improve your breast size to keeping your man faithful, all written with earnest authority by "experts" of the day. In these old books, I noticed that one subject appeared over and over, usually shrouded with dire euphemisms: The Solitary Vice. Self Abuse. The Vicious Habit.

In other words: Masturbation.

Past generations were absolutely terrified by masturbation, and regarded it among the vilest of sexual practices. Some considered it more of an offense, as we will see, than child molestation. Health experts of the day demanded it be curbed, especially in children, often by any means necessary. That is why, unlike the other articles in my Advice series, a retrospective on masturbation cannot be funny. It can only be heartbreaking.

Reasons to fear masturbation

Nearly all writers of these anti-masturbation screeds referred to the state of the soul, and how masturbation slowly shreds it, defiling God-given organs of regeneration by using them for selfish gratification. The sinfulness of masturbation can still be debated, but the medical and psychological maladies these writers claimed resulted from the practice have mostly been disproved.

Joseph William Howe, who wrote Excessive Venery, Masturbation and Continence in 1884, gave bizarrely specific details as to the physical affects masturbation had on a woman's genitalia, believing that the practice deformed the organs. He wrote, for example, "I have seen cases in the hospital where [the labia minora] resembled the ear of a small spaniel."

more
http://theweek.com/article/index/254612/masturbation-was-once-considered-more-offensive-than-child-abuse

[Orrex]

1. You're still more likely to see someone spank a kid at the store

than to see someone spank the monkey in that same store, so...

[LeftishBrit]

2. Indeed, many people thought it was a terrible sin and sent you blind or insane and/or to Hell

Considering that this is one thing that almost everyone has done, it's likely that, although masturbation didn't damage people's mental health, guilt about it often did. Victor Gollancz' autobiography 'My Dear Timothy' tells of his mental sufferings as a boy from thinking he had committed a deadly sin.

[raccoon]

3. Further in the article, "signs" that a girl is masturbating are listed.

"If some of these descriptions sound uncomfortably familiar to you, there is a reason. Compare them to some of the conditions listed today by the US Department of Health and Human Services as signs of sexual abuse in children:

- Pain, itching, bruises, bleeding, or discharges in the genital, vaginal, or anal areas;

- Compulsive interest in sexual activities;

- Exceptional secrecy;

- Being overly compliant or withdrawn;

- In-depth or unusual sexual knowledge or behavior with peers that is developmentally inappropriate;

- Masturbation. [Childwelfare.gov]

Have you ever wondered if we have more sexual abuse in our culture now than in the past? Were people less terrible in the old days, or just less likely to talk about what had been done to them? The attitudes toward sexuality put forth in these old texts go a long way toward answering that question. "

I strongly encourage others to read the entire article; it's worth it. At least we are more enlightened nowadays about child sexual abuse.

[edhopper]

4. It seems that some parts of the Roman Catholic Church

in recent years thought that as well. The enabled and coddled child abuse while still condemning masturbation as a mortal sin.

[xfundy]

5. That's a big reason

circumcision became so widespread in the US in the 20th century-- it was supposed to stop masturbation, or "self pollution." How'd that work out?

[Bucky]

8. We polluted the rivers instead

[greiner3]

12. Who will think of the trees chopped down;

To provide the tissues that clean up the 'mess'?

[RBInMaine]

6. Well, then I guess we're all going to hell. LOL

[Bucky]

7. Teens often feel overwhelmed by urges to masturbate so they must learn to beat them off.

By the way, I am going to pay a lot more attention to my neighbor's spaniel now.

[yuiyoshida]

9. It didn't do much for

Pee Wee Herman's career.

[Demo_Chris]

10. The Pope thinks condoms and female priests are worse than child rape. nt

[blackspade]

11. Very interesting!

My masters is in Victorian class maintenance, which is tied up with ritual dining and comportment.
As part of my research I have read several books on 'proper' social graces but I haven't stumbled onto this subject matter.
Thanks for posting!