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paedophilia

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Paedophilia (etymology: from Ancient Greek παιδόφιλος (paidophilos) - παῖς (pais, "boy, child") and φιλέω (phileō, "I love"),[1] also spelt pedophilia, is a sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children. While the exact definition varies by context, it commonly refers to the medical definition defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. The correct term for an attraction to adolescents is ephebophilia.

Those who meet the criteria set above are classed as paedophiles. Common usage do not follow the strict medical definitions of an adult or teen who is attracted to prepubescent children, but often refers to any adult who is attracted to, or has sexual contact with, any person under the age of consent, or the age of majority (often 16-18 in most western countries).

In popular usage, the word paedophilia is often applied to any sexual interest in children or the act of child sexual abuse.[2] This use conflates the sexual attraction (pedophilia) with the act of abuse (child molestation), and does not distinguish between attraction to prepubescent and pubescent or post-pubescent minors.[3] Researchers recommend that these imprecise uses be avoided because many child sexual abuse offenders are not paedophiles,[4][5] and not all paedophiles molest children.[6][7]

Societal views[edit]

Paedophilia is generally stigmatised in society.[8] One study reported high levels of anger, fear and social rejection even towards pedophiles who have not committed a crime.[9] The authors suggested such attitudes could negatively impact child sexual abuse prevention by reducing pedophiles' mental stability and discouraging them from seeking help.[8]

Early research showed that there was a great deal of misunderstanding and unrealistic perceptions in the general public about child sexual abuse and pedophiles.[10]

Misuse of medical terminology[edit]

The words paedophile and paedophilia are sometimes used informally to describe an adult's sexual interest in pubescent or post-pubescent teenagers. The terms hebephilia or ephebophilia are more accurate in these cases.[11]

Another common usage of pedophilia is to refer to the act of sexual abuse itself,[2] rather than the medical meaning, which is a preference for prepubescents on the part of the older individual.[12][3] There are also situations where the terms are misused to refer to relationships where the younger person is an adult of legal age, but is either considered too young in comparison to their older partner, or the older partner occupies a position of authority over them.[13][14] Researchers state that the above uses of the term pedophilia are imprecise or suggest that they are best avoided.[3] The Mayo Clinic states that pedophilia "is not a criminal or legal term".[15]

Paedophile advocacy groups[edit]

From the late 1950s to early 1990s, several paedophile membership organizations advocated to lower or abolish age of consent laws,[16][17][18] as well as for the acceptance of paedophilia as a sexual orientation rather than a psychological disorder,[19] and for the legalization of child pornography.[18] The efforts of paedophile advocacy groups did not gain majority public support[16][18][20][21][22] and today many paedophile advocacy groups have been dissolved and have minimal membership.[18][22][23][24]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Wiktionary definition
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Seto, Michael (2008). Pedophilia and Sexual Offending Against Children, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ames MA, Houston DA, ({{{year}}}). "Legal, social, and biological definitions of pedophilia," Arch Sex Behav, 19, 333–42.
  4. ↑ (2009) Oxford Textbook of Psychopathology (Oxford Series in Clinical Psychology), 2nd, p. 528, Oxford University Press, USA. "Some cases of child molestation, especially those involving incest, are committed in the absence of any identifiable deviant erotic age preference."
  5. ↑ Edwards, M. (1997) "Treatment for Paedophiles; Treatment for Sex Offenders". Paedophile Policy and Prevention, Australian Institute of Criminology Research and Public Policy Series (12), 74-75.
  6. ↑ Feelgood S, Hoyer J, (2008). "Child molester or paedophile? Sociolegal versus psychopathological classification of sexual offenders against children," Journal of Sexual Aggression, 14, 33–43.
  7. ↑ Seto MC. (2009) Pedophilia. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 5:391–407.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jahnke, S., Hoyer, J., (2013). "Stigma against people with pedophilia: A blind spot in stigma research?," International Journal of Sexual Health, 25, 169–184.
  9. ↑ Jahnke, S., Imhoff, R., Hoyer, J., (2015). "Stigmatization of People with Pedophilia: Two Comparative Surveys," Archives of Sexual Behavior, 24, 21-34.
  10. ↑ McCartan, K., (2004). "'Here There Be Monsters': the public's perception of paedophiles with particular reference to Belfast and Leicester," Medicine, Science and the Law, 44, 327–42.
  11. ↑ pedophilia. Encyclopædia Britannica.
  12. ↑ see "prevalence and child molestation" on Wikipedia's entry for paedophilia for an explanation of the distinction.
  13. ↑ Guzzardi, Will (2010-01-06). "Andy Martin, GOP Senate Candidate, Calls Opponent Mark Kirk A "De Facto Pedophile"". Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/06/andy-martin-gop-senate-ca_n_413624.html. Retrieved 15 January 2010. </li>
  14. ↑ Seligman, M. (1993). What you can change and what you can't, page 235. New York: Fawcett Columbine.
  15. ↑ Hall RC, Hall RC, (2007). "A profile of pedophilia: definition, characteristics of offenders, recidivism, treatment outcomes, and forensic issues," Mayo Clin. Proc., 82, 457–71.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Jenkins, Philip (2006). Decade of Nightmares: The End of the Sixties and the Making of Eighties America, Oxford University Press.
  17. ↑ Spiegel, Josef (2003). Sexual Abuse of Males: The Sam Model of Theory and Practice, p. 5, p9, Routledge.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Eichewald, Kurt (August 21, 2006). "From Their Own Online World, Pedophiles Extend Their Reach". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/21/technology/21pedo.html. </li>
  19. ↑ Dr. Frits Bernard,, ({{{year}}}). "The Dutch Paedophile Emancipation Movement," Paidika: the Journal of Paedophilia, 1, .
  20. ↑ Jenkins, Philip (1992). Intimate Enemies: Moral Panics in Contemporary Great Britain, Aldine Transaction. "In the 1970s, the pedophile movement was one of several fringe groups whose cause was to some extent espoused in the name of gay liberation."
  21. ↑ Stanton, Domna C. (1992). Discourses of Sexuality: From Aristotle to AIDS, University of Michigan Press.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Hagan, Domna C. (1988). Deviance and the family, Haworth Press.
  23. ↑ Benoit Denizet-Lewis (2001). "Boy Crazy", Boston Magazine.
  24. ↑ Trembaly, Pierre (2002). "Social interactions among paedophiles".

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