The "age is just a number" folks who intentionally seek out teenagers.

@ostfuidctyvm Money== no accountability

@FableDNK if we're going to be technical about it, yes and no. Ephebophilia is technically attraction to mid to late teens. Wrong as it is, the attraction isn't the central problem. Acting on it is. And that's the difference between someone with a paraphilia Vs a predator.

* Not condoning either, nor am I either of this, only using the psych textbook version.

@FableDNK it is definitely s problem. What I mean to say is that pedophilia, hebephilia and ephebophilia are psychological terms for paraphilias. The criminological term is child predator. Because althoigh the above mentioned paraphilias are high risk, not all child molesters are peeps, hebes and ephebos.

I wholly agree though all thr above are wrong and dangerous and are definitely problems.

@FableDNK While I think it happens fairly infrequently, it’s okay if a pedophile WANTS to as long as he/she doesn’t act on those desires.

@Mamapolo2016

It is not the way a normal person experiences attraction and can just ignore it.They are extreme fixations, or eventually become extreme when not addressed as a problem.

Most studies show that those who receive treatment are less likely to act on it. So it is better prevented before it happens, than accepted, and they do have options to learn for management.

@FableDNK I agree with that. Extreme caution. But if sexual orientation of any kind is not choice, but biology/psychology - what do we do with this? I am by no means an apologist for pedophiles.

Fable is correct. It is not a sexual orientation. It is a DISORDER of sexual PREFERENCE

Sexual preference includes three aspects: Sexual orientation (this is about gender preference and ranges from heterosexual to bisexual to homosexual) Sexual Directedness (about age preference) Sexual Inclination (preferences for specific traits or activities.)

So, a person with pedophilic interests might have a heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual orientation.. (based on the gender of the children), a directedness toward children, and any specific sexual inclinations.

Their sexual directedness is without a doubt harmful and needs be addressed, which is why it is considered a disorder. It is already an established fact in the scientific community that they need to manage it with professional help. It is not comparable to a sexual orientation which isn't harmful. And conflating homosexuality with pedophilia can turn to a discourse of normalization as well as of demonizing a harmless aspect of sexual preference.

We cannot deduce whether or not something is good or bad from whether or not it is biological..even murder is biological. We have their effects to observe and judge with. Their effects are destructive.

We also cannot just lump them up and get rid of them, because like you pointed out, they lack a level of control, and they do not always act on those thoughts, when properly treated. However, actions need be taken to minimize the risks of offending and that's where we all have control.

I would like to wrap this up because I do not want my thread to be a trigger for people who are victims, looking at this and then taking ot as justifications, or those who have the mental disorder looking at it as discouragement from seeking treatement and adding to the stigma.

Statistically most offenders do not have the disorder..and statistically most of them get away with their crimes which means that our energy is better spent on fixing that than arguing about those who haven't offended yet.