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I have some sympathy for them, it is pretty much the absolute worst curse you can have outside of a horrific illness.
Yes, when a lot of (idiotic) people hear paedophilia they immediately associate it with someone who has had sex with a child and that's all. For ref; It's actually a paraphilia where you are sexually attracted to children, not whether you have sexually abused a child.
I feel immense sympathy for those who get the feelings and don't act upon them (it is reckoned to be borderline impossible to completely remove a paraphilia too, even repression wouldn't work 100pcnt) and I think it is very saddening society has perpetuated a myth that you have touched a child if you have paedophilia.
But hey, ignorant people will be ignorant people.
I feel immense sympathy for those who get the feelings and don't act upon them (it is reckoned to be borderline impossible to completely remove a paraphilia too, even repression wouldn't work 100pcnt) and I think it is very saddening society has perpetuated a myth that you have touched a child if you have paedophilia.
But hey, ignorant people will be ignorant people.
Original post by Inexorably
Yes, when a lot of (idiotic) people hear paedophilia they immediately associate it with someone who has had sex with a child and that's all. For ref; It's actually a paraphilia where you are sexually attracted to children, not whether you have sexually abused a child.
I feel immense sympathy for those who get the feelings and don't act upon them (it is reckoned to be borderline impossible to completely remove a paraphilia too, even repression wouldn't work 100pcnt) and I think it is very saddening society has perpetuated a myth that you have touched a child if you have paedophilia.
But hey, ignorant people will be ignorant people.
I feel immense sympathy for those who get the feelings and don't act upon them (it is reckoned to be borderline impossible to completely remove a paraphilia too, even repression wouldn't work 100pcnt) and I think it is very saddening society has perpetuated a myth that you have touched a child if you have paedophilia.
But hey, ignorant people will be ignorant people.
Good post.
Paedophilia is as hard-wired into one's brain as heterosexuality or homosexuality is. No-one chooses their sexual attractions. It's wrong to jump to the conclusion that all paedophiles abuse and molest children because it simply isn't true. There was an interesting documentary on this last year which showed a man with sexual attraction to children who was seeking all the help he could to make sure he never did anything to a child. How can we condemn him for that? The OP is perhaps right to suggest we're treating paedophiles in the same way we used to treat homosexuals. It's simply irrational to assume that someone who has sexual attraction to children is a molester.
tl;dr - it's wrong to assume all paedophiles are molesters because some have never, and won't ever, touch a child. We need to offer help to those who need it, not spit on them and treat them like dirt.
I find it scary how angry and violent-sounding people get when paedophilia is even mentioned. I wonder how many people there are out there who are terrified to even admit they have paedophilic urges despite never having acted on them.
Maybe if people felt able to seek help about it, we'd see fewer crimes committed. But of course, the average person would rather just start spewing abuse as soon as the topic is brought up rather than actually engage their brains on the matter.
Maybe if people felt able to seek help about it, we'd see fewer crimes committed. But of course, the average person would rather just start spewing abuse as soon as the topic is brought up rather than actually engage their brains on the matter.
If you mean how we treat them because of their attraction, then yes. I think we're unnecessarily harsh to paedophiles. I don't think it's a choice and I have a lot of respect for those who abstain from indulging in their sexuality, it must be pretty hard(pun not intended). I think we should be trying to help these people instead of punishing them over something they had no control over.
If you meant in denying them relationships, then I absolutely disagree with you. The reason banning homosexuals was wrong, was because the relationship was between 2 consenting adults, no one is being hurt or forced into anything here. You can't have this for children, as a minor is not able to consent. They haven't developed the maturity to make an informed decision about this. So legalising anything between adults and kids is a very bad route to go down.
If you meant in denying them relationships, then I absolutely disagree with you. The reason banning homosexuals was wrong, was because the relationship was between 2 consenting adults, no one is being hurt or forced into anything here. You can't have this for children, as a minor is not able to consent. They haven't developed the maturity to make an informed decision about this. So legalising anything between adults and kids is a very bad route to go down.
Original post by Reluire
Good post.
Paedophilia is as hard-wired into one's brain as heterosexuality or homosexuality is. No-one chooses their sexual attractions. It's wrong to jump to the conclusion that all paedophiles abuse and molest children because it simply isn't true. There was an interesting documentary on this last year which showed a man with sexual attraction to children who was seeking all the help he could to make sure he never did anything to a child. How can we condemn him for that? The OP is perhaps right to suggest we're treating paedophiles in the same way we used to treat homosexuals. It's simply irrational to assume that someone who has sexual attraction to children is a molester.
tl;dr - it's wrong to assume all paedophiles are molesters because some have never, and won't ever, touch a child. We need to offer help to those who need it, not spit on them and treat them like dirt.
Paedophilia is as hard-wired into one's brain as heterosexuality or homosexuality is. No-one chooses their sexual attractions. It's wrong to jump to the conclusion that all paedophiles abuse and molest children because it simply isn't true. There was an interesting documentary on this last year which showed a man with sexual attraction to children who was seeking all the help he could to make sure he never did anything to a child. How can we condemn him for that? The OP is perhaps right to suggest we're treating paedophiles in the same way we used to treat homosexuals. It's simply irrational to assume that someone who has sexual attraction to children is a molester.
tl;dr - it's wrong to assume all paedophiles are molesters because some have never, and won't ever, touch a child. We need to offer help to those who need it, not spit on them and treat them like dirt.
Is a pedophile only someone who has sexual intercourse with a minor? What age do you have to be a considered pedophile?
Original post by al_94
Is a pedophile only someone who has sexual intercourse with a minor? What age do you have to be a considered pedophile?
No, a pedophile is someone who is primarily or exclusively attracted to pre-pubescent children, regardless of whether or not they have actually had sex with any. The cut-off age is generally agreed to be about 13.
Original post by HandmadeTurnip
I find it scary how angry and violent-sounding people get when paedophilia is even mentioned.
Well there's another unfortunate characteristic that's prevalent in a portion of the population, that we don't like to talk about, but it's that a lot of people would secretly like to torture and kill another human being in a horrific way. If you can characterise a group as being legitimate targets (which is where paedos come in) then it gives them fair game to endorse it.
Like when ISIS burned that guy in a cage, you get people saying how inhumane and sick they are, but if someone suggested burning paedos in a cage I'm sure there would be loads of support for it. The Daily Mail brigade would love it.
Original post by HandmadeTurnip
No, a pedophile is someone who is primarily or exclusively attracted to pre-pubescent children, regardless of whether or not they have actually had sex with any. The cut-off age is generally agreed to be about 13.
So the law on pedophilia in UK is actually incorrect because even 15 which is developed in most cases is a crime. I think the danger is predators people who try to solicit minors.
Original post by al_94
So the law on pedophilia in UK is actually incorrect because even 15 which is developed in most cases is a crime. I think the danger is predators people who try to solicit minors.
Regardless of whether the law says you're a paedophile for having sex with a 15yo (i haven't checked) it is incorrect to call this person a paedophile
Original post by al_94
So the law on pedophilia in UK is actually incorrect because even 15 which is developed in most cases is a crime. I think the danger is predators people who try to solicit minors.
In the UK, there are a range of offences that can be applied to someone who has had sex with someone under 16, depending on the nature of the situation. Sex with children under 13, however, is automatically treated as rape.
Original post by bluemax
Pedophiles step out line when they 'force' themselves upon kids like rapist. Homosexuals don't harass.
Homosexuals are just as capable of committing rape as anyone else.
Now we have to sympathize with people who look at kids wrong too? Smh.....I find it hard to believe that any parent would find it ok if another adult was attracted to their children like that, call me whatever but people like that wouldn't be allowed into my families' life in any way. When it comes to the safety of my family or the feelings of a grown adult, it's not really a hard choice
Original post by al_94
Is a pedophile only someone who has sexual intercourse with a minor? What age do you have to be a considered pedophile?
from a clinical point of view a paedophile is someone whose sexual attraction is towards pre-pubescents
it's fairly safe to say that under this definition attitudes will change and there are all sorts of valid concerns about consent and the risk of physical andf mental harm to children
beyond that, in terms of attraction to pubescent / adolescent people it becomes more of a social construct as can be seen in the variation of ages of censent and the presence of not of 'age gap ' legislation which may lower the age of consent where the age difference between partners is small.
(edited 9 years ago)
Well the distinction is somewhat clear.
The latter is a relationship between two consenting adults, whilst the former is a relationship between an adult and a child who in most cases would not know any better.
I think most of us understand that, at that age, forming sexual relationships with grown adults was not on our minds AT ALL. In any case, there is the matter of parental custody, and as we can all imagine, most parents would not allow such relationships to form between an adult and their children. Hence it is sort of implied that the relationship will form in secret.
Hence legalising paedophilia would almost certainly lead to huge issue in the legal system. Whereas legalising homosexuality is simply a case changing "Male" to "Female" and vice versa.
But as a society, perhaps it would make more sense to understand the nature of paedophilia, rather than demonize it.
The latter is a relationship between two consenting adults, whilst the former is a relationship between an adult and a child who in most cases would not know any better.
I think most of us understand that, at that age, forming sexual relationships with grown adults was not on our minds AT ALL. In any case, there is the matter of parental custody, and as we can all imagine, most parents would not allow such relationships to form between an adult and their children. Hence it is sort of implied that the relationship will form in secret.
Hence legalising paedophilia would almost certainly lead to huge issue in the legal system. Whereas legalising homosexuality is simply a case changing "Male" to "Female" and vice versa.
But as a society, perhaps it would make more sense to understand the nature of paedophilia, rather than demonize it.
Original post by Xin Xang
Well the distinction is somewhat clear.
The latter is a relationship between two consenting adults, whilst the former is a relationship between an adult and a child who in most cases would not know any better.
I think most of us understand that, at that age, forming sexual relationships with grown adults was not on our minds AT ALL. In any case, there is the matter of parental custody, and as we can all imagine, most parents would not allow such relationships to form between an adult and their children. Hence it is sort of implied that the relationship will form in secret.
Hence legalising paedophilia would almost certainly lead to huge issue in the legal system. Whereas legalising homosexuality is simply a case changing "Male" to "Female" and vice versa.
But as a society, perhaps it would make more sense to understand the nature of paedophilia, rather than demonize it.
The latter is a relationship between two consenting adults, whilst the former is a relationship between an adult and a child who in most cases would not know any better.
I think most of us understand that, at that age, forming sexual relationships with grown adults was not on our minds AT ALL. In any case, there is the matter of parental custody, and as we can all imagine, most parents would not allow such relationships to form between an adult and their children. Hence it is sort of implied that the relationship will form in secret.
Hence legalising paedophilia would almost certainly lead to huge issue in the legal system. Whereas legalising homosexuality is simply a case changing "Male" to "Female" and vice versa.
But as a society, perhaps it would make more sense to understand the nature of paedophilia, rather than demonize it.
Paedophilia is legal though, and I don't think anyone's suggesting we actually legalise child sex abuse.
Original post by HandmadeTurnip
Paedophilia is legal though, and I don't think anyone's suggesting we actually legalise child sex abuse.
Is it legal for an adult to form a sexual relationship with a child?
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