Is pedophilia a sexuality?

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I think it is a sexuality, not a disease, but it should be treated in whatever way possible nonetheless.

Like others have said, I think by definition it is a sexuality, however it is just completely unacceptable in our society. It's similar to other taboo sexualities, like bestiality for example, but I think to call it a mental illness (as many do) is wrong.

Not wrong as in morally wrong, (I want to make it clear I am in no way trying to sympathize or condone it) but wrong as in intellectually wrong, calling it something it's not. Homosexuality was for many years classed as a mental illness, and I think we can all agree that it is far from that. (don't twist my words to say I'm comparing homosexuality to pedophilia... you know what I mean)

Pedophiles who act on their urges may however have mental illnesses, but that's getting into the whole topic or psyche of rapists ect and is another discussion entirely.
But yes, in short, I think it's classes as a sexuality that is just incredibly wrong in every aspect.

Reply 22

WaceMindu

Original post by boba

pedophilia is a sexuality.
child abuse is an action.

unfortunately for pedophiles they have to either be strong enough to ensure they don't act on their attractions or thy will become child abusers as there is no legitimate way for them to satisfy them.

pedophilia is something that they can't help or escape from. Acting on it and abusing children is not.

edit: actually most unfortunately there is no real way of them asking for help and support with dealing with this sexuality they can't act or or escape from. Simply mentioning they have the feelings will get them demonised not help. This almost certainly leads to more of them giving into it than would otherwise and therefore more abuse of innocent children.

Well said

Reply 23

WaceMindu

Original post by Hylean

No, no, it's not. It's a paraphilia, or a harmful/abnormal sexual fetish. It's not a sexuality. You can have homosexual paedophiles, heterosexual ones, bisexual or even pansexual ones.

You also can have paedophiles who are attracted to people their own age as well.

In the end, though, what you're advocating (ie. treatment) is no different to a Christian advocating treatment for homosexuality. As long as someone's urges are hurting no one else, there is no need for treatment unless the person wants treatment.

That's semantics bordering on the insane. That means most male children between the ages of 12 and 16 are pedophiles...

Reply 24

InArduisFouette

Original post by WaceMindu

That's semantics bordering on the insane. That means most male children between the ages of 12 and 16 are pedophiles...

a paedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children it is bandied around rather too frequently with regard to sexual activity below an arbitrary age of consent.

Reply 25

Rob da Mop

Original post by Hylean

No, no, it's not. It's a paraphilia, or a harmful/abnormal sexual fetish. It's not a sexuality.

Homosexuality isn't abnormal? I'd agree it's not harmful, but it seems to fit your definition of not a sexuality pretty well.

Reply 26

Lord Jon

Isn't it a mental illness

Reply 27

WaceMindu

Original post by zippyRN

a paedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children it is bandied around rather too frequently with regard to sexual activity below an arbitrary age of consent.

I realise that... but to LABEL any child who is attracted to someone of their own age a paedophile is like I said, semantics gone crazy.

Reply 28

Hylean

Original post by WaceMindu

That's semantics bordering on the insane. That means most male children between the ages of 12 and 16 are pedophiles...

Hmmm, I didn't see that particular meaning in what I said. However, what I mean was there are adults who are attracted to people their own ages and are paedophiles.

And technically, if you are interested in people between the ages of 12 and 16, you'd most likely be a hebephile or possibly an ephebophile, if you are an adult. :wink:

Besides, being attracted to your own age group would not make you a paedophile as the interest would not be a paraphilia.

Original post by Rob da Mop

Homosexuality isn't abnormal? I'd agree it's not harmful, but it seems to fit your definition of not a sexuality pretty well.

Homosexuality was once defined as a paraphilia, you realise. To some people, it still is.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 29

LeBuche

Like homosexuality they don't have a choice, I very much doubt someone attracted to young children actually wants to be or just wakes up one day and decides he likes underage children.

However unlike homosexuality it can cause a great deal of harm and destroy lives, it's a mental illness and should be treated as such. I hate it when people think that tougher sentencing and harsher prison conditions will stop it.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 30

nickth

Original post by boba

and people in the world are celibate.
I never said it would be just as easy but it is possible they can do it with enough will power. The OP was suggesting it was more like "I have this urge I not have no choice but to act on it"

I wasn't suggesting that there is no choice for pedophiles other than to act upon their urges, but it's damn well hard to try to resist. I think this is what the aforementioned film was getting at, that for however long you try to suppress these feelings, they will without doubt come back to bite you in the ass if you don't do anything about them (preferably get help).

You just have to try and put yourself in their shoes. I think because I am gay this is easier for me. When I was a young teen I always envisioned myself with a girl when I was older, but then I developed feelings for boys and whilst initially I was angry at myself and wanted to suppress these feelings, I eventually lost the inhibition and just accepted who I was. Now I'm not saying it's exactly the same for pedophiles, as obviously the stigma is far greater against them. But the point I am getting at is eventually people lose their inhibitions because they feel they can no longer suppress their desires, no matter how wrong they know their actions are, especially when it comes to sexual urges.

Eventually, the actions of pedophiles are inevitable, but I don't want to suggest that this is the only option. As you also mentioned, help needs to be made available to these people as the first option, before they cause harm, but in the current circumstances this is near impossible for people with the condition to do.

Reply 31

User1014865

There's an institution for pedophiles in America where pedophiles are forced to rehabilitate (it's commonly called "A place for pedophiles). Very few leave and become civilized members of society. This begs the question: Why do so many stay in such an institution? Can they not control their urges? It is a form of sexuality?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 32

Ice Constricter

For the people saying pedophilia is a mental illness, do you have any scientific evidence for that?

Reply 33

LeBuche

Original post by Ice Constricter

For the people saying pedophilia is a mental illness, do you have any scientific evidence for that?

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), it is a paraphilia in which adults or adolescents 16 years of age or older have intense and recurrent sexual urges towards and fantasies about prepubescent children that they have either acted on or which cause them distress or interpersonal difficulty.

Reply 34

boba

Original post by nickth

what you originally said seemed unclear but this I agree with. Except the word inevitable. Incredibly probable yes but inevitable no.

Reply 35

InArduisFouette

Original post by WaceMindu

I realise that... but to LABEL any child who is attracted to someone of their own age a paedophile is like I said, semantics gone crazy.

which is about ignorance and tabloid sensationalism rather than the reality of clinical practice or the law, which do distinguish between prepubescent and pubescent 'targets'...

Reply 36

member327593

20 years ago homosexuality was viewed as an illness. I do feel sorry for paedos cause they can't help who they're sexually attracted too, but obviously the ones who act on it should be punished.

Reply 37

Bullet Knuckle

l call them lolicons ... however it is wrong for them to act upon their desires .. in real life that is.

Reply 38

ufo2012

Original post by SpicyStrawberry

I don't think you have a choice in it, but you sure do have a choice in whether or not you act on it

Sounds very similar to what ppl claim about homosexuality

Reply 39

Picnic1

The term 'paedophiles' has long been unhelpfully tied in with 'child abusers' and 'child killers'.

Nobody would automatically tie 'heterosexual' in with 'abuser' and 'murderer'.

Being a paedophile means being sexually attracted to children (usually those under the age of 13 although the term is often used a catch all for anyone under 16). The term still allows also being attracted to adults and does not, in itself, mean that it would necessarily be acted on in a way that would hurt a child.

Those under the age of 13 are not legally allowed for their consent to be deemed as mitigation. Does that mean that those under 13 never have sexual feelings, either for children or adults? Not at all.

Any feeling or thought always has a cause. If the term 'mental illness' must be used then I say that everybody is mentally ill. I could claim that it is mentally ill to ignore people.

Picasso said that he spent his whole life trying to be like a child again (because of the fresh perspective it would give).
Which makes me think- if he willingly made his mind like a child, he could potentially be more likely to be attracted to children. There are many talented people who have had substantiated or unsubstantiated claims of active paedophilia against them. Perhaps it it part of the creative spirit to be more attracted to a child's spontaneity than the average person would be.

Whatever, I think that these may be difficult questions for the average person, who strives, or claims to strive, towards responsibility and accepted forms of maturity, to face. But thought crime is not crime nor more likely to make someone more generally criminalistic nor to make them less likely a useful member of society.