ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how activists and policy makers have misused research findings, and it evaluates the scientific evidence concerning these beliefs. It focuses on gay men because lesbians are less often portrayed as having sexual interest in children. The chapter describes the existing body of psychological research supports the general public's belief that gay men pose no threat to children. Inconsistencies in the assumptions underlying the seduction myth become clear when considering beliefs about lesbianism. In contrast, data gathered in 1999 show that the general public no longer subscribes to the myth that gay men are likely to abuse children. Social science research on prejudice shows that members of stigmatized groups tend to be accused of the same misconduct, including rape, child abuse, and the inability to control sexual impulses. Megan's Laws, also known as sex offender registration and notification laws, represent one approach to protecting children from sexual coercion.
