th purely psychical onanism. We must not forget that
the imagination usually suggests stimuli far stronger than those
furnished by objective experience, and this applies in a most marked
degree to paedophilia. Many paedophiles also satisfy themselves with the
aid of erotic and obscene literature, containing descriptions of the
acts in which they are interested, or with pictures of such acts. Among
obscene pictures and photographs, not a few depict sexual acts performed
with children; and there is no doubt that these are sometimes pictures
taken from the life, children having actually been photographed in such
obscene attitudes. The Latin countries appear to be the principal
source of such pictures and photographs.

It will readily be understood that the performance upon children of
sexual acts is a very serious matter for the children themselves,
especially as affecting their sexual morality. It is true that in many
instances paedophilia does not entail any consequences for the child,
which completely fails to understand that it has been made use of for
perverse purposes. The offender may know how to mask his actions, so
that even a third person who is looking on may detect nothing more than
tender caresses, and may remain altogether unaware of the existence of
any sexual excitement. But in other cases the consequences for the
children may be extremely grave. Not only is the child in this way
prematurely introduced to sexual practices, but its moral corruption may
result. The danger to the child is greater in view of the fact that the
child depraver often fails to realise that he is trespassing against the
child's rights. I remember a gentleman who had been punished with
imprisonment on account of improper relations with a boy, and who
continued to assure me that he had done nothing wrong in touching the
boy's penis. In other cases, well-educated young men and women have no
idea that unchaste conduct with children is an offence which may entail
severe punishment, even in cases in which the child's genital organs are
not touched.

It should not need demonstration that such sexual malpractices on
children may have serious consequences for these latter. A girl may
suffer most severely, alike morally and socially, even though
defloration has not been effected. It is quite conceivable that in such
a way a girl may be brought to prostitution. Certain investigators have
studied the question at what age defloration had been ef