Why Pedophile is Not Synonymous with Child Molester: A Thread
(Sources will be included at the end.)
(Sources will be included at the end.)
1) What is Pedophilia?
A pedophile has a persistent sexual preference for prepubescent children under the age of 13. Sexual behavior involving children is not required, just as someone straight or gay can know their orientation even if they go celibate their entire life.
A pedophile has a persistent sexual preference for prepubescent children under the age of 13. Sexual behavior involving children is not required, just as someone straight or gay can know their orientation even if they go celibate their entire life.
2) What is Pedophilic Disorder?
A paraphilia involving intense and recurrent sexual urges towards and fantasies about prepubescent children 13 years or younger that have either been acted upon or which cause the person with the attraction distress or interpersonal difficulty.
A paraphilia involving intense and recurrent sexual urges towards and fantasies about prepubescent children 13 years or younger that have either been acted upon or which cause the person with the attraction distress or interpersonal difficulty.
The individual must be at least 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child. Criteria applies to individuals who freely disclose this paraphilia and to individuals who deny any sexual attraction to prepubescent children under the age of 13.
3) What’s the Difference?
Pedophilic disorder causes intensified feelings of shame, anxiety, and sexual impulses that can severely limit daily life. Without them, pedophiles can live normally and rarely act on impulses, as shown by self-reported & legally recorded histories.
Pedophilic disorder causes intensified feelings of shame, anxiety, and sexual impulses that can severely limit daily life. Without them, pedophiles can live normally and rarely act on impulses, as shown by self-reported & legally recorded histories.
4) Is Being a Pedophile a Choice?
Research on neurodevelopmental correlates of pedophilia suggests that pedophilia is influenced by prenatal factors & thus is unlikely to respond to interventions delivered when the individual is an adult. So pedophilia is a lifelong condition.
Research on neurodevelopmental correlates of pedophilia suggests that pedophilia is influenced by prenatal factors & thus is unlikely to respond to interventions delivered when the individual is an adult. So pedophilia is a lifelong condition.
Pedophilic disorder, however, may change over time with or without treatment: subjective distress (guilt, shame, sexual frustration, isolation) or psychosocial impairment, or the propensity to act out sexually w/ children, or both - it may fluctuate, increase, or decrease w/ age.
5) What is a MAP?
MAP stands for Minor-Attracted Person and is an umbrella term for people with any condition that means they are sexually attracted to minors (those below the age of consent), including nepiophilia or infantophilia, pedophilia, hebephilia, and ephebophilia.
MAP stands for Minor-Attracted Person and is an umbrella term for people with any condition that means they are sexually attracted to minors (those below the age of consent), including nepiophilia or infantophilia, pedophilia, hebephilia, and ephebophilia.
Nepiophilia/Infantophilia - attraction to babies and toddlers. (Ages 0-3)
Pedophilia - attraction to prepubescent children. (Ages 13 and younger)
Hebephilia - attraction to pubescent children/early adolescents.(Ages 11-14)
Ephebophilia - attract to late adolescents. (Ages 15-19)
Pedophilia - attraction to prepubescent children. (Ages 13 and younger)
Hebephilia - attraction to pubescent children/early adolescents.(Ages 11-14)
Ephebophilia - attract to late adolescents. (Ages 15-19)
6) Aren’t MAPs and Child Molesters the Same?
No. MAPs have a sexual preference for children that may or may not lead to child molestation. Child molestation, on the other hand, involves a sexual offense against a child that may or may not be due to pedophilia.
No. MAPs have a sexual preference for children that may or may not lead to child molestation. Child molestation, on the other hand, involves a sexual offense against a child that may or may not be due to pedophilia.
Pedophiles, child molestors, & pedophilic child molesters should be understood as separate groups; which can be used in research & clinical practice to suggest new studies using pedophiles who have not molested children as a control group, to help assess & streamline treatments.
7) How Prevalent is Pedophilia?
An exact number is not known, as the majority of studies are done on sex offenders & don’t count non-offending pedophiles. Currently the best estimate is 1-2% of the world’s population are pedophiles. Of those ~5-10% of pedophiles molest children.
An exact number is not known, as the majority of studies are done on sex offenders & don’t count non-offending pedophiles. Currently the best estimate is 1-2% of the world’s population are pedophiles. Of those ~5-10% of pedophiles molest children.
This means that ~90-95% of pedophiles do *not* molest children, even after accounting for underreporting. It is estimated that 40-50% of sex offenders with child victims aren’t pedophiles based on their sexual arousal and behavior.
8) Why Would a Non-Pedophile Molest a Child?
Motivations include a lack of more preferred sexual opportunities, hypersexuality, indiscriminate sexual interests, abuse, money, mental illness, a desire to have power or control over others, or drug and alcohol abuse.
Motivations include a lack of more preferred sexual opportunities, hypersexuality, indiscriminate sexual interests, abuse, money, mental illness, a desire to have power or control over others, or drug and alcohol abuse.
9) What is the Peak Age of Offending Pedophiles?
The peak age is 12-14 years old. About half of all offenses committed against children 13 and younger are committed by other children. 97-98% of children with 1 sexual offense *never* reoffend with a new sexual offense.
The peak age is 12-14 years old. About half of all offenses committed against children 13 and younger are committed by other children. 97-98% of children with 1 sexual offense *never* reoffend with a new sexual offense.
10) In Conclusion
There is so much nuance to be had on this topic that this thread could continue for many, many more tweets. But Twitter is severely lacking in the ability to hold nuanced discussions, so I'm leaving it at these commonly asked questions for now.
There is so much nuance to be had on this topic that this thread could continue for many, many more tweets. But Twitter is severely lacking in the ability to hold nuanced discussions, so I'm leaving it at these commonly asked questions for now.
If you have more questions, I highly recommend looking through the sources linked below first. I am by no means an expert, nor did I set off to become a spokesperson for MAPs. I just saw awful misinformation being spread about them, and decided to do my part to educate.
Education is the key to compassion and empathy, to preventing the dehumanization of MAPs, as well as working to erase the stigma surrounding their existence.
They're here to stay. The least we can do is be kind and supportive as they live with an attraction they never asked for.
They're here to stay. The least we can do is be kind and supportive as they live with an attraction they never asked for.
Sources:
1, 4, 7, 8) Pedophilia by Michael C. Seto: dropbox.com/s/jtuqecoinrsr…
2, 3. 4) DSM-5: dropbox.com/s/u0a0srz5b7zn…
5) Minor-attracted person: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor-att…
6) Sexual Deviance by D. Richard Laws and William T. O'Donohue: books.google.ca/books?id=yIXG9…
1, 4, 7, 8) Pedophilia by Michael C. Seto: dropbox.com/s/jtuqecoinrsr…
2, 3. 4) DSM-5: dropbox.com/s/u0a0srz5b7zn…
5) Minor-attracted person: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor-att…
6) Sexual Deviance by D. Richard Laws and William T. O'Donohue: books.google.ca/books?id=yIXG9…
7) Prevalence and Minor Attraction: csaprimaryprevention.org/prevalence-and…
8) What is CSA: web.archive.org/web/2016021418…
9) CSA is Preventable by Professor Elizabeth Letourneau:
9) CSA Statistics: d2l.org/wp-content/upl…
8) What is CSA: web.archive.org/web/2016021418…
9) CSA is Preventable by Professor Elizabeth Letourneau:
9) CSA Statistics: d2l.org/wp-content/upl…
If you're a pedophile struggling with your attractions, there are places you can seek support:
VIRPED: virped.org/giving-getting…
B4U-ACT: b4uact.org/attracted-to-m…
Troubled Desire: troubled-desire.com/en/
The Prevention Podcast: thepreventionpodcast.com
Attraction IS NOT Action.
VIRPED: virped.org/giving-getting…
B4U-ACT: b4uact.org/attracted-to-m…
Troubled Desire: troubled-desire.com/en/
The Prevention Podcast: thepreventionpodcast.com
Attraction IS NOT Action.
For those wanting to learn more about MAPs' struggles, and how you can help them:
MAP Accuracy: mapaccuracy.wixsite.com/blog
Or if you're a friend, partner, or family of a MAP and need support:
The Global Prevention Project: theglobalpreventionproject.org/family-support
Intervention IS Prevention.
MAP Accuracy: mapaccuracy.wixsite.com/blog
Or if you're a friend, partner, or family of a MAP and need support:
The Global Prevention Project: theglobalpreventionproject.org/family-support
Intervention IS Prevention.
Thank you for your patience while I put this together. I don't claim that it's perfect, and I'm not a MAP so I don't speak for them, only in defense of them. MAPs are people too, and deserve human rights the same as anyone else.
