There are varied terms to label the varied states of sexual attraction to certain individuals in society, particularly categorised by age groups. Most people have not heard of these terms, so I have taken it upon myself to explain each one and attempt to inextricably link them to the best of my abilities, and choose the best one to apply to Ian Watkins. Firstly, comes Paraphilia. Paraphilia is, as Wikipedia defines it, 'the experience of intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations or individuals'. This term ultimately summarises the entire world of unaccepted sexual fetishes. Then, comes Chronophilia, which is sexual attraction limited to particular age groups, and also houses sub-terms labelling those attractions. These terms which place creeps in our society under the freak radar are Hebephilia, Ephebophilia, Nepiophilia, Pedophilia, Teleiophilia, and Gerontophilia.
Hebephilia is the sexual interest to pre-pubescent children aged from eleven to fourteen years old. Ephebophilia is the adult sexual interest for girls aged fourteen to sixteen, and boys aged fourteen to nineteen, but also is sometimes used to label a sexual preference for adolescent boys - some Catholic Priests, arguably, can thus be labeled as Ephebophiles. Nepiophilia is a sexual preference for toddlers, aged from zero to three years. Pedophilia, the most common of the terms, applies to the sexual interest by people aged sixteen or above years towards children aged eleven years and under, or pre-pubescent children. Teleiophilia applies to the sexual interest in adults. Finally, Gerontophilia applies to the sexual preference for the elderly. In my opinion, I believe that Ian Watkins is both a Nepiophile and a Pedophile. I suppose it can be stated thus, that Ian Watkins has a Paraphilia fetish. Although it is normal for every person to have sexual fetishes, certain sexual fetishes themselves are considered abnormal, and severely frowned upon, more than masturbating in an aeroplane toilet is frowned upon. Yes. That was a Hangover reference.
Ian Watkins has basically outraged most of his fans, and allegedly at times sexually pleased others and their children, by using his rockstardom and position of power. I personally know a number of fangirls who have slept with famous men, simply because of their fame - for the famous person, it is another 'screw', and for the fan it is a screw and an unforgettable memory that they most likely will not share with their own children. He has pleaded guilty to thirteen sexual offences, including, informally, misusing his fame to enter adult and pre-pubescent genitalia - and has attempted to convince those in the courtroom, when the seventeen minute long footage of him and the mother of an eleven-month old baby performing a sex act on that baby, that he does not recall a bit of it, due to being high on crystal meth.
Police, after raiding his home, found tapes of Watkins performing sexual acts with underaged fans, most of them aged only sixteen, which additionally makes him an Ephebophile. This concoction of Chronophilia results in one thing - a mentally ill lead singer with no intentions but to keep sexually exploiting and abusing young children with his fame until he was caught. "If you belong to me, so does your baby", "a summer of incest and child porn", and "do you like being my underage slut" are words which echo biological needs mixed with mental corruption. And when one ponders whether the case can become much worse than it already is, it does: police have somehow seized Skype footage which shows Watkins masturbating as the woman on the other end of the call is abusing her child. This man's password on one of his laptops is "If***kids". Could he make this matter more blatantly obvious?
Watkins took the power of being an influential role model and transformed it to influenced role play, with children. Years ago, a swarm of 'dead baby' jokes infected the internet, and outraged many. Now, with Watkins doing nasty things on live babies, I, along with many other ex-fans, do not know how to feel. The scary part about all of this is that this sexual abuse, and worse, happens each day to many children. The only thing we can do is to make sure our children/sisters/brothers do not idolise famous people to the extent where they would sacrifice their virginity, mental state and dignity. And mothers, if you cannot distinguish between what is right and what is downright wrong, please offer your child to a better home and grow some right-minded sense. If that is downright impossible, then place yourself in the child's shoes. You would not enjoy it as much as you currently do.
References:
Wikipedia [en.wikipedia.org]
