By Caitanya Carana Dasa
“Sexual addiction? What’s that supposed to mean?” “Just as alcoholics don’t have control over their desire for alcohol, sex addicts don’t have control over their sex drive. Drug addicts, for instance, are not necessarily evil or criminal but are in the grip of a habit that makes them act irrationally and sometimes even illegally. So with sex addicts.” “What’s the point of calling it an addiction? That they shouldn’t be held responsible because they are addicted?” “No, being addicted doesn’t mean the addict can’t be held accountable for his or her actions. Alcoholics who assault someone in a drunken stupor are punished, but they are also helped to treat their addiction. Why can’t the same thing be done for those who are not bad people but who do something bad due to lust? Sexual addiction needs to be treated, not neglected by the simplistic division of people into heroes and villains. Sexual addiction can afflict even common people who otherwise lead normal, responsible lives. Sex addicts may be addicted to many distorted forms of sexual expression like stalking, voyeurism, or stripping, but they are most commonly addicted to pornography.