I think the main point here is that IF those kids did do that, something is major wrong as it’s not normal behavior for kids that age.

Agreed. And, contrary to what other commenters have argued against, I don’t think anyone here is suggesting that we throw the book at these little boys. The whole thing is thoroughly fucked up, depressing and disturbing. Obviously trying them as adults would only compound the tragedy; they need help.

As I understand it, there are the people who were themselves abused as children, and then a MUCH smaller subset of those people go on to become abusers themselves. It’s more that being abused puts you at a higher risk of being an abuser, not that anyone who was abused automatically starts acting out.

Mnemosyne, yes, that’s my understanding, too. I generally follow the studies on these things (although granted, not lately) and they seem to bear that out across the board; iirc, the number of previously abused kids who go on to become offenders is not more than a quarter, and may be as low as 12-15%, with kids from non-abusive backgrounds being anywhere from a third to a half less likely than that to be offenders. But of course, it’s hard to get good data on these things.

It’s just that I run across a very high number of people who assume that most abused kids turn around and “continue the cycle”, and since that was possibly implied in kate’s comment #8, I was grateful to see angryyoungwoman point out that it’s not true. I’m always grateful to see people popularizing the reality that most adults who were abused as kids turn out reasonably functional. Well, as reasonably functional as most anyone else is, anyway, heh.

I hope the Georgia cops are better at their jobs than Chicago police officers who investigated a similar case involving prepubescent boys some years ago.

That was my first thought, too. A lot of investigating officers still don’t realize how easy it is to get kids to agree with whatever an adult authority figure tells them to say.

There seems to be this popular misconception that children who’ve been abused are overwhelmingly likely to become abusers, when in actuality, we (I was a severely abused child, hence the use of “we”) most often do not become abusers.

As I understand it, there are the people who were themselves abused as children, and then a MUCH smaller subset of those people go on to become abusers themselves. It’s more that being abused puts you at a higher risk of being an abuser, not that anyone who was abused automatically starts acting out.

OR

They have some serious anti-social behavior.

When I was that age, I was experimenting with another little girl my age. She taught me everything I knew about sex until middle school. She knew words and things to do that never crossed my mind (oral and “butt sex”. Though, she thought “but sex” was rubbing butts together. I was mildly horrified to find out what it REALLY was years later in late middle school/early high school). She also threw around the word “rape” fairly freely. (She thought it was an actual sex act, she believed it was dragging the fingers, firmly from the front of the labia to the end of the butt crack. So, she was a little misinformaed.)

But the thought of violently violating someone against their will? Never even occured to me as possible until later middle school when I discovered porn.

And I’ll repeat: she never did say she was raped by me or any other family member. All I said was that it sure was escalating to a point where she was capable of saying anything to get the attention/freedom from authority/hateful catharthic release she felt she needed. I didn’t say she did, but my wife and I were convinced she was capable. And we had three other children to raise. Sometimes someone must be let go to save many. It’s a shitty thing to do, but a shittier thing to have to do. I’m not proud of it, but we did the best we could in that situation just as we tried our best to adopt her and give her the best chances in life possible. And no one else was lining up to adopt the troubled six-year-old girl with emotional problems.

Some children who’ve been sexually assaulted or abused (or witnessed abuse or assault) will act out, others internalize.

angryyoungwoman, thanks so much for adding this to the thread.

There seems to be this popular misconception that children who’ve been abused are overwhelmingly likely to become abusers, when in actuality, we (I was a severely abused child, hence the use of “we”) most often do not become abusers. We are at more risk than children who’ve not been abused, but it’s still a minority of us who go on to recreate the abuse.

Just speaking for myself here, there’s something especially awful about the stigma of my childhood abuse following me into my adulthood and having to live in a world where so many people so frequently assume that I’m half a step away from abusing a child, when in reality, I’m an exceptionally empathetic and compassionate person, and I’m already living with PTSD as a result of what my parents did to me.

so i’m sorry if it seems like you believe your son because he’s normal and boys wouldn’t lie about such a thing but you don’t believe your daughter because she’s obviously histrionic or wtfever.

when i said, why would you be so sure, i had been wondering if you had actual evidence, instead of a hunch because she has a mental illness.

Ugh, I hate it when people romanticize children as Innocents and as The Hope for the Future (TM). They’re undergrown adults, capable of all the same fucked-up crap and incredible kindness, but usually held back by their age.

We were monsters once, and young.

Wow. Well said. I completely agree.

I’m not sure his bullies were past-victims or just assholes on their own. Anything is possible when someone is considered weak and beneath dignity. After all, if three-hundred or so won’t stop something awful…. Ugh, I hate it when people romanticize children as Innocents and as The Hope for the Future (TM). They’re undergrown adults, capable of all the same fucked-up crap and incredible kindness, but usually held back by their age.

We were monsters once, and young.

Children who have been sexually assaulted themselves and/or encouraged to or witnessed sexual assault, will invariably act out that behavior on their peers or those they perceive as less threatening.

This isn’t actually true. Some children who’ve been sexually assaulted or abused (or witnessed abuse or assault) will act out, others internalize.

As to the story itself, it is horrible, but I don’t find it unbelievable that children would abuse other children. When I was in second grade a group of boys constantly bullied me and a friend and were not shy at all about threatening rape or making other sexual threats.