Roots of sexual behavior

Every day the news presents us with another example of male sexual impropriety—a CEO, a college student, an entertainer, a priest, a political figure, and ordinary guy. We’ve become all too familiar with these kinds of accusations, and we know they have to be dealt with consistently, fairly and firmly.

But little attention is given to the causes of such unacceptable behavior by men. I think that’s because the reasons are so complex: biology, libido, misguided notions of manhood, peer pressure, media, marketing, mental health issues, poverty, bad parenting, childhood sexual abuse, alcohol, substance abuse, adolescent experimentation, pornography, violent tendencies, social mores, permissiveness, lack of good sex education, moral weakness, power, perversion, privilege. There’s probably more, and in many cases sexual misbehavior is a consequence of a cluster of these elements.

Sexual impropriety is a problem that needs to be addressed with sustained and serious effort, but it has to be tackled in a way that takes into account all its roots. No easy task, but a task men must take on vigorously.