He felt he had control over the man

Brief description of the case of Dennis, who had an intimate relationship with a man when he was 8 and looks back on it positively as an adult.

Taken from the collection Positive Memories, compiled by T. Rivas.

Source: Bruce Rind - “The Problem with Consensus Morality”, Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 31, No. 6, December 2002.


At age eight, Dennis, a 21-year-old American, initiated sexual contact with a man friendly with his family, whom he suspected of being involved with his older brother. Sex occurred between them for the next two years. He said he usually initiated the encounters because he was always ready for sex. He described the relationship as the most positive he has ever had.

He saw himself as having the upper hand, because he felt he had control over the man, who went to great lengths to fulfill his wishes.

He felt that his adolescent and adult sexual relations went more smoothly because of the competence he got from these early experiences.

Asked how a heterosexual male could have enjoyed homosexual relations, he answered that he was attracted to sex back then, not females or males per se.