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Is pedophilia a sickness or a crime?

thatsme

先輩
11 Feb 2007
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I could do a bit of googling and find billions of arguments and all make sence.
The fact is like many controvertial issue the peadophillia in our society is still a problem to be resolved.

What would you do if you know there is s peadophile in your area?
The extreme measure that some of us would like to take is probably to get rid of them, whatever way is up to you, but is that a solution?

Sorry if I keep asking questions, but I don't know my self where I am standing in this matter.

I mean would I want them to be eliminated, or cured?
I wonder if pedophiles themself would like to end their life.

Anyway this is one one of those issue that us the society has to face in one way or the other.
 
Its not a sickness, nor is it a crime in itself. Someone who feels drawn to kids feels drawn to kids, it can't be helped, but doing those kids is another question. That obviously is a crime, its the same as rape in my opinion. Someone with a week will fails to say "NO!" to his instincts, and he ends up as their slave. But really there's not much you can do. About normal pedophiles you'll never find out, unless they tell you that yes they would love to do this and that with a kid. Someone with pedophilia AND a mental illness is different, they can't do much. No matter how well they can normally withstand their urges, when the mental illness ticks in, there's not much to do. Although, I really don't think that there are that many pedophiles who are afflicted by a mental illness at the same time.
 
I think pedophilia is a mental illness. Something has happened to the person to change their sexual attractions - usually I think they've been sexually abused as kids, and then continue the cycle. The crime, as Derfel said, is actually abusing a child.

In the U.S., once a sex offender (someone that commits any kind of sexual abuse against another person of any age) is known, they have to be registered on a list that can be viewed publicly so that anyone can know if there's a previous sex offender living near them (which would mean that they've been convicted and maybe done jail time, had counseling, etc., and are probably on parole).

It's a good question, though - to clarify the difference between a sickness or mental illness and a crime. Only certain behavior can be called a crime. If a person has tendencies, let's say, or attractions to children but never does anything that way, he hasn't commited any crime.
 
In my opinion its a sexual orientation, and since we don't call homosexual folks ill people, why would we call pedos sick?
 
Technically it's a fetish, not a sexual orientation. Pedophilia is not comparable to homosexuality.

and whether it's a mental illness or not I'm not sure (the brain is the largest sexual organ in the body, so there might be something to that), but it most certainly is a crime and should remain so.
 
I think pedophilia is a mental illness. Something has happened to the person to change their sexual attractions - usually I think they've been sexually abused as kids, and then continue the cycle. The crime, as Derfel said, is actually abusing a child.

In the U.S., once a sex offender (someone that commits any kind of sexual abuse against another person of any age) is known, they have to be registered on a list that can be viewed publicly so that anyone can know if there's a previous sex offender living near them (which would mean that they've been convicted and maybe done jail time, had counseling, etc., and are probably on parole).

It's a good question, though - to clarify the difference between a sickness or mental illness and a crime. Only certain behavior can be called a crime. If a person has tendencies, let's say, or attractions to children but never does anything that way, he hasn't commited any crime.


This would make the most sense, since pedophilia is not the only sexual preference/fetish out there which society frowns upon or deems unnatural and we have to be able to explain more than just the one. There are also individuals out there who get their jollies doing everything from raping people to having sex with animals to feet fetishes and that whips and chains stuff, the list goes on. Something has happened, as Sarapva says, that has created some kind of preference in the person's mind towards this kind of sex.

If you think about it, we all have fetishes. Maybe as highschoolers or college kids some men had a run-in with a cougar and now they have a thing for older women. Or maybe someone's first girlfriend or first high school sweetheart had extremely big boobs so that influenced their sexual development and now they have a boob fetish. Or maybe because of that they like small ones now. The influence is not direct or easily understood, anything's possible.

Cultural norms and practices dictate what's acceptable and what's not, but we all have fetishes and we all arrive there via the same mechanisms; that is, things that are consciously or unconsciously integrated into our development as we mature.

They said it well in an episode of CSI I once watched: the only abnormal sexual behavior is no sexual behavior.

Technically it's a fetish, not a sexual orientation. Pedophilia is not comparable to homosexuality.

.

Yes and no, because some people are born gay and some aren't. If you mean true homosexuality, like the kind we assume is a result of one gender having the other gender's sexual preferences reversed via genetic discrepancy, then you're right they are completely different. But some people choose homosexuality for the same reason as pedophilia, it's a fetish via developmental influences.
 
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The subject of whether sexual preference is the product of nature or nurture is a whole other can of worms, so I won't be touching on that.

I found this a particularly effective explanation debunking the supposed relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia, as well as provides a compelling argument for why pedophilia should be considered a psychological disorder.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/HOMOSEXUALITY_AND_PEDOPHILIA_The_False_link.html

I also found a surprisingly succinct definition of pedophilia at urban dictionary, of all places:
2. pedophile
1529 up, 758 down


A person who suffers from Pedophilia; that is, an adult who is sexually attracted to children.

Pedophilia is a mental disorder, not a sexual orientation or lifestyle choice. Specifically, it is a Paraphilia. The Paraphilias are characterized by recurrent, intense, sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors that involve unusual objects, activities, or situations. Other examples of Paraphilias are Exhibitionism, Fetishism, Sexual Masochism, and Sexual Sadism.

Terms like "pedosexual" are misnomers and nothing more than political activism on the part of organized groups of pedophiles attempting to legitimize and legalize their abuse and predation of children.
 
In my opinion its a sexual orientation, and since we don't call homosexual folks ill people, why would we call pedos sick?

That article in the link that nice gaijin posted explains this pretty well. Pedophilia isn't a sexual orientation - it's a deviation probably caused by traumatic experiences (though I don't know enough about that to know what other causes there are). Even though homosexuality used to be thought of the same way, as a deviation, at least now we know that it's just a normal sexual orientation that doesn't cause harm.

Pedophiles and rapists most likely have been traumatized and dominated by someone in their past, and continue the cycle by dominating and traumatizing those they're able to dominate - children or someone they can physically subdue. Unless they can consciously get themselves out of this cycle (which means not perpetrating any more violence on any other person, thereby stopping the cycle with themselves), it just continues. If they can get intensive therapy and be in a supportive environment, they can stop the cycle if they have the will and motivation.

Posted by bakaKanadajin:
Cultural norms and practices dictate what's acceptable and what's not, but we all have fetishes and we all arrive there via the same mechanisms; that is, things that are consciously or unconsciously integrated into our development as we mature.

This is true, though usually fetishes are small things that don't hurt other people. It's when a person has been traumatized and hurt themselves that they can develop the tendency to do the same to other people.

Thanks for that link to SelfGrowth.com, nice gaijin! I've saved it to look over the site some more.
 
Once a pedophile always a pedophile. There is no known "cure". Even with chemical castration many still molest with their hands. A pedophile is always a danger to children. Yes, if the thoughts are there but aren't acted upon there is no crime, but the temptation brings most to rape again. It's a sad cycle.
 
We can search on the web or other sources the definition of what peadophillia is.
the problem still remain in the human society.
So what are the solutions or deterrents to stop it?
Any temporary idea?
 
thatsme said:
Sorry if I keep asking questions, but I don't know my self where I am standing in this matter.

Asking questions is one good way to learn, as long as the the sincerity of the questioner and answerer are equally honest and earnest.

Having looked over the responses here, I am glad to see that no one tried to connect the behavior under question with the influence of any non-physical being's interference with the physical being--such as the early Christians (for example, among others) tried to do. No, what I see in the comments on this thread so far, are just in line with what you all would surely expect from me.

We are the brain, we are the neurons. (which is, in case none have yet felt it, to be sung to the tune of a famous song done by a bunch of famous singers)

This area is one which I have not gone into much, since 'rape' cases usually don't deal with this catagory. As usual, and as we have seen here in this thread, definitions of terms and word usage is very important, and should be kept in mind.

Using what I have learned, I'll throw in what may have bearing here. Some parahilia types (especially what could be called negative S&M) seem to have been often brought on by illnesses as children rather than by nurture. Regarding that where an person of pubescence has attraction towards those of the other genetical sex (prepubescence or borderlined), and which is statisfied by and emotionally connected to sexuality, there may be more study needed.

I'll throw the idea of mental disorder around some, and come back tonight. One thing that I have seen in the cases that I have looked into, or have read about, is that those who are quite fixed in this brain mapping (and possible genetically influenced state) cannot seem to get out of it--as Goldiegirl has pointed out too. That would be one thing to dig into, and another would be the statistics on such people, and what society at large ought or should do about it or in what to deal with the real facts of the matter.
 
Asking questions is one good way to learn, as long as the the sincerity of the questioner and answerer are equally honest and earnest.

I assure you it is.
Thanks for making sure.
Like many billions of problem we have in our Human society this is one of them.
I merely inquisitive to how we deal with controvertial issues.
I am sure that scientist and people who have studied the Human mind are and have being thinking to find the solution of this complicated mind riddle.

But the reality many people have being effected by the peadophile, so I was wondering how I would react if say I had a child and was molested by a peadophile.

Also normally we wait till happen to us, that of course is too late!! or I hope not.
 
Well, I said I would get back here tonight, and so here I am. Unfortunately, it's kind of late, and after a long day, my head is now not on so tight.

While I do read works by psychologists of different types, and studies done by them too, I am hesitant to buy some of what certain types of those in that general field summarize. The reason for that is, as I have found by weighing in some conclusions from certain studies or portions of other studies done by those of that field with those done by neurologists and behavioral psychologists, that there is more of a tendency by psychiatry at large to put everything into binary vision--catagories of sane and insane, order and disorder, right and wrong.

Science over all, clearly shows that such is not the case in reality; binary thinking is seldom a correct understanding of a matter. For that reason, I am yet not convinced that a person prone to a certain attachment should so easily be labeled with a nuance of 'wrong.' (as a label such as 'insane' or 'sick' insinuate) Remember, it took psychiatry at large a while to see homosexuality for what it most usually and surely is, rather than as seeing it as a disorder. (Seeing 'wrong' and 'right' kind of comes with that territory, you see...and I guess we can't blame them for that, actually, though)

Now, please do keep in mind, that I am not yet talking about the person who has committed any great unproductive and negative-in-outcome act. I reason and argue that we must look at this carefully, rather than simply and reflexively run into our particular corners of comfort on the overall matter. Also, please do not forget that humans are a continuum, and that biological sex states are a continuum, and that genetical and molecular builds have some degree of continuum within a spectrum.

I would tend to agree that those with an above average fondness for prepubesent and border line puberty people, would not be classified as having that orientation, but rather that disposition within an orientation. If a female (and that's another matter to consider, you see...females are uncommon here) is overly fond of the female person of that age group, then we have a lesbian orientation with a (for lack of a better term at the moment) 'paraphilia' disposition; so on and so forth. I'll get back again. I'm a bedaphilia for the moment !!
 
Well, someone can be a paedophile if they have sexual thoughts about children, but it's whether or not they actually DO something about it that determines whether or not it's a crime. You can't be a criminal from having thoughts but only from acting on them.

So yeah, you can say that paedophilia is a mental illness or a fetish or something of both, but not a crime unless the person does actually commit an offence.

I think it's possible that someone could be in such a situation (perhaps because of something that had happened to them as a child) where they might commit a *relatively minor* offence against a child and be rightly brought to book for it, and punished according to law, but might in future be capable of restraining themselves from getting involved in suchlike again (perhaps due to or helped by another ongoing stable relationship with an older person, or simply their own realisation and willpower). However I would think that more severe/serious cases are not likely to be 'curable' in the traditional sense of the word.
 
I agree with that completely, willpower is everything, practicing pedophilia is simply an indicator of weak character.
 
Pedophilia is quite possibly the one thing where I am unyieldingly hard on.

Sure you can argue that pedophiles were victims themselves at some point, or that it's just the way they are wired, that doesn't change the fact that when a pedophile gives into their urges children are harmed, both physically and mentally, and they end up paying for it their whole lives.
There can be no consent for a child.

IMO when pedophiles act on their urges they immediately become a disease, they do no good through their actions and cause untold harm to society. It may sound harsh but sometimes you have to prune the unhealthy branches so the rest of the tree can thrive...if you get my drift.
 
It is society that essentially determines what sexual conduct is considered acceptable and unacceptable. Homosexuality throughout history has been both accepted and frowned upon, and only recently in modern western society has it gained general acceptance.. ,or tolerance as some might say. This biggest reason for this being, nobody is seen as a victim. Assuming that heterosexuality is considered normal, or the standard of sexual behavior, then homosexuality still stands deviant from that because there is no conclusive scientific evidence that says someone is born gay. That is not to say it is a conscious choice, just that there is no 100% genetically determining factor.

Modern society has chosen to see homosexuality as acceptable or tolerable sexual behavior, due in part to it being between two consenting adults. Pedophilia however, will never be able to gain such a status because it involves children being taken advantage of, and thus, being victims... and not only that, victims that make most people cringe to think about especially if they have kids.

However, I wonder what most people would say about Necrophilia. Most probably don't think much about it other than.. "gross" and "as long is it is not with one of my relatives" I guess. Necrophilia is just as sickening when you think about it, but nobody makes much of a fuss about it because there are essentially no victims.

So what should be done about Pedophiles... their behavior is criminal because it makes someone a victim.. but I also think some effort needs to be made to try to help those people break away from that fetish or orientation, though it might be difficult, those people need help and should be treated as such.
Society will not except that behavior and they need to abide by society's rules even if it is a struggle for them.
 
So what should be done about Pedophiles... their behavior is criminal because it makes someone a victim.. but I also think some effort needs to be made to try to help those people break away from that fetish or orientation, though it might be difficult, those people need help and should be treated as such.
Society will not except that behavior and they need to abide by society's rules even if it is a struggle for them.
So what are the alternative to help those people?
Would you agree the most of those people would like to be helped?
 
I believe that most pedophiles are pitiable beings. They know that their urges are wrong and this sometimes causes otherwise good people to come to hate themselves for something they have no control over. However, I do agree that any actions taken by one with such urges is something contemptable. I think that, through counseling and therapy, some will be able to abstain from acting on their impulses, though I am of the opinion that the urges themselves are very nearly incurable.
 
I think that pedophilia is a sexual orientation.
More precisely, the THIRD sexual orientation.

According to the commonly accepted model of sexual orientation, there are two sexual orientations: homosexuality and heterosexuality.
If a male is attracted to males, he would be a homosexual and if he is attracted to females, he would be a heterosxexual.

Well, I don't exactly agree with this view.

According to me, a homosexual male is attracted to masculinity and a straight male is attracted to femininity. Why is it important to separate sex (male/female) and sexual expression (femininity/masculinity)?

I'll explain it in two words.

Some months ago I saw a documentary about two transgender females. One of the two still had her vagina, but physically was identical to a man. She looked like a MASCULINE man!

I don't think that a straight man would be able to have sex with her. It's more probable that a gay man would accept her as a partner.

So, if we think about this easy concept, I think that is not difficult to say that straight men are attracted to femininity (and not to females - females are usually feminine, but not always) and gay men to masculinity (not to males - males are usually masculine, but not always).


But if there are people who are attarcted to masculinity, and other who are attracted to femininity, couldn't possibly also exist person who are attracted to neutrality (physical carateristics which are not masculine, nor are feminine)?

I bet they exist!

They are called: PEDOPHILES.

Infact, where would be able to find the perfect neutrality in a human?

During first weeks of pregnancy!

During the first period of pregnancy, the child has no sex: genitals are something between a vagina and a penis.
Then, if the child is female, his genitals will become a vagina. If the child is male, he will get a penis.

The clitoris of females is nothing other than an undeveloped penis. A fetus' penis!

When the child born, his/her genitals are perfectly distinguishable: we know with no problem if the child is male or female. We only have to look between his/her legs.

But physical features (secondary sex carachters) lack. The body lacks of features related with the gender/sex, which means that the child is not masculine, nor is feminine. He/she is neutral.

Before puberty, ther is not a great difference between females and males in respect to physical features.

Between a little boy and a man there is a greater difference than between prepubescent boys and girls.

So, a pedophile is first of all attracted to neutrality.

Pedophilia is to definiition an attraction towards prepubescent children. "Prepubescent" means that secondary sex carachters still lack.

So pedohpilia is an attraction to a body without sexual carachters.

The third sexual orientation, as I said.

People can be attracted to masculinity, femininity or neutrality.

Pedosexuals fit with the third one. They are not homosexuals or heterosexuals. They are pedosexuals with a penchant towards boys, or girls, or both.

Saying that pedophiles are heterosexuals or homosexuals with a penchant for children, as someone said, is wrong according to me.

The fact tha pedophiles were all molested is a myth.

In reality, only a strict minority of them were molested, and science failed to find an explanation about reasons behind pedophilia.

Scientists also failed in finding psychological differences between pedosexual men and straight men. There is no way to say that pedophiles' brain doesn't work correctly.

So it is not a sickness, but a sexual orientation. A simple sexual preference!
 
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