There seems to be almost total agreement that Michael Jackson molested a child at his Neverland Ranch. "He's as guilty as he can be," a caller said on a major talk show today.

Of course, only Jackson and his alleged victim know if Jackson committed a crime. However, I have spent years working with sex abuse victims and perpetrators, and as far as the reality of sex abuse goes, it appears highly unlikely that Jackson is guilty.

A decade ago, he was accused of sexually abusing a child, and the parents--saying they did not want their child to have to testify--accepted a $20,000,000 settlement. In all those years, not one other victim came forward to say s/he had been molested by Jackson. Now along comes another accuser, and--so far--no one else has come forward with a similar story.

Pedophiles often abuse hundreds of children. They have a compulsive disorder that renders their behavior uncontrollable. If Jackson is indeed a pedophile, where are the victims? Years have gone by, and they have been silent. This is particularly interesting, in light of the tone that has been set in recent years by the Catholic Church scandals.

Of course, it is entirely possible that Jackson is guilty, but on its surface, this does not appear to be a viable case.