Is pedophilia a mental illness?
For the record, I am not a pedophile. Hell, I'm a 16 year old girl.
I honestly have no idea whether it's a mental illness or not. If an 18 or 19 year old has sex with a 17 year old, I think it's different (and also legal in some states as long as it's consensual) as long as it's safe and consensual. While legally, it's child sexual abuse, there is some grey area.
There have been accusations that homosexuality is a mental illness. I am fully aware that homosexuality is not a mental illness, choice, related to pedophilia, or any other lies that closed-minded people may feed me.
But by saying that a sexual preference isn't an illness, does that incite the idea that pedophilia isn't?
I feel like calling it a mental illness would infer that homosexuality is, too, or are they completely unrelated (I'm flip-flopping a bit, I know. The belief that gays are pedophiles is wrong, but I feel that the classification of both sexual preferences are often mixed up).
If someone could please tell me whether it's a disease or not, that would be great.
Thank you.
Comments
no - conflating the two is unfair - homosexuality implies consent
pedophilia does not - it is rape - it is just being selfish
First, attraction to any person who is well into puberty is in no way unusual. It is completely normal for a straight man to feel some attraction to a 12-year-old girl with some curves. What they are not supposed to do is ACT on that. Acting is a crime but there is no mental illness involved.
Now, as for pedophilia -- attraction to prepubescent children. Quoting from my own website: "Terms such as mental illness and mental disorder are not precisely defined, and we doubt that they can be defined based on science alone. Values–our opinion of the desirability of a condition–invariably intrude on the decision whether that condition is a mental illness or merely reflects a difference with other people."
The new psychiatrist's bible, the DSM5, says that if individuals "report an absence of feelings of guilt, shame, or anxiety about these impulses and are not functionally limited by their paraphilic impulses (according to self-report, objective assessment, or both), and their self-reported and legally recorded histories indicate that they have never acted on their impulses, then these individuals have a pedophilic sexual orientation but not pedophilic disorder."
Child sex abuse is a serious crime, but pedophilia is not a crime per se. It can be an illness.
Homosexuality is just fine "end to end" -- that is, it can be fulfilled in relationships between consenting adults. Pedophilia cannot be, and that is a crucial difference. But both are a largely inborn preference that no one chooses and that cannot be changed -- a sexual orientation.
Somewhere along the line, the idea of "sexual orientation" came to have this implication that homosexuality was OK because of it. But that's not really true. Homosexuality is OK because it is OK and harms no one. The fact that it is an orientation is an explanation for why gay folks don't just go to therapy and become straight, but it's not part of it being good or bad.
Firstly I agree with you that if someone 19 has consensual sex with someone 17 it cannot and should not be compared with someone age 23 having sex with a 10 year old. If it is around the age of consent they may not be much of an age gap, apart from legal boundaries.
I think that for some people it becomes a preference. It is one for hush hush not talk about sex and pretend it does not exist people. There have been a number of incidents associated with priests who are not allowed to marry, be gay, or have sex with a woman. In southern Afghanistan it is culturally accepted because it is very Muslim and men are not supposed to have sex with a woman out of marriage. Likewise, homosexuality is not allowed. However underage boys are not mature enough to be classed as men, and obviously not classed as women. In some cultures such as in Afghanistan and in Thailand in the past, these boys would dress as women and play the role of women and married men could say that it is not cheating because they do not love the boys - they are only for their sexual pleasure. In addition I have heard of many men who have a fetish which is difficult to fulfil such as a foot fetish (because there are not many people into feet) abuse children. I heard of a guy recently as well, who used to suck the toes of underage girls. Children are easy to manipulate and generally friendly, and if people are sexually shy they may pray on children. The final thing, which I personally think is the sickest is when people are abused sexually by members of their own family. I've heard in Western Society where there are strict laws on peadophilia, this is the most common type. Sadly I'm related to someone who was abused by their father. Again they are living with that person and may have a warm and friendly relationship, feel comfortable, and feel like they are in charge because they are the adult. There is a school of thinking that many paedophiles are mommy's boys who lack balls and some may lack a feeling of control or confidence in themselves - (not saying i'm sympathetic because of the emotional damage they can sometimes cause to an innocent child). If they think that this group is easy to target, they may have fantasise about them because it might be a less stressful situation for them to abuse an innocent child than otherwise. I don't believe there are that many paedophiles in countries like America, UK, Germany, and France because parents are generally very cautious, listen to their children and encourage their children to talk openly with them (about sexual issues too hopefully). I recently saw an ad on TV to promote emphasising that boobies, willy's, fanny's and bottoms are private and that children should see them as private and as their own). Some children, particularly those who have been abused, are likely to feel free about showing their private parts. Others may react by being usually reserved. I have heard of it more in the past, but it is still a big problem in some world countries. I don't think its an illness, I think the reasons are sociological, but personality disorders might increase the chances.
I think that if more gay people are paedophiles, it is a sign of a backward society which does not accept gay people, so some feel they might as well pray on vulnerable children. However straight people can do the same. I don't think being gay makes someone more likely to be a paedophile, however paedophiles might have a preference for either boys or girls.
I think a pedo might have some mental issues. But then again, a lot of people do. They don't molest innocent children over it. There is no excuse for harming a child. And I feel like calling it a mental illness excuses it a little. And I would hate for lawmakers or judges to start thinking there is some sort of an excuse. I think if you harm a child, you should be locked away forever. And I think it should be in solitary. And I think we should give them plenty of rope to hang themselves with, if they choose to do so. Also, there is a huge difference between being gay and being a child molester. Did you know that the vast majority of child molesters are straight?
pedophiles are predators and prey on the innocent. They know damn well its wrong or else they wouldn't go to great lengths threating or killing to make sure there sick **** secret isn't discovered!
Pedophilia is child rape and it is a mental disorder (I think)
yes,pedophilia is a mental disorder.
yes