Pedophilia: Healthy Sexual Activity -or- Mental Disorder?

[sixtyandaquarter]

I swear to god and all that is unnaturally holy, I do not want to see the pedobear in this thread 

If you don't know pedophilia is the primary or exclusive sexual attraction by adults to prepubescent children.  At current it is believed to be a paraphilia and mental disorder of adults or older adolescents (according to the ICD-10 and DSM IV standard medical diagnosis manuals), which causes significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning relating to said prepubescent children.

Generally as viewed as a mental disorder, the criteria needed to meet to qualify yourself as a pedophile is that in a period of at least 6 months one has had reoccurring intense sexual urges towards, fantasies about, or actively involves in sexual activity with a child generally 13 or younger.

Obviously one would have needed to act on these urges, or at the very least shows a sign of high distress due to them.  Age wise you must be at least 16 years of age, and be having the prelisted pattern for children at least 5 years younger than yourself.

Common terminology includes that pedophilia can include any adult above the age of consent having attractions towards any individual (or individuals) below said age of consent.  However this is actually not the case.

Now, then.
Notice the stressing on the fact that pedophilia is treated as a mental disorder?  That's the crux of my debate here.

There has been a large growing debate on pedophilia, often the intent of one particular side is to link pedophilia to a natural healthy sexuality.  Often a comparison is drawn to homosexuality, in that homosexuality in the 70's (I believe?) was considered an atrocious mental disorder that could be cured by pills and therapy (though some still foolishly believe so).  This is the treatment for pedophiles, in general, and is used to show that one day pedophilia will be more tolerated, in the way some areas view homosexuality as an alternate lifestyle, instead of being sick in the head.

Now, on to the debate itself.
Is pedophilia "natural"?  Is it a "mental disorder"?

Is there a difference between the two groups of pedophiles, those who were not sexually molested, and those who were?  As some researches believe that those who were assaulted, are mentally cracked, while those who weren't are exhibiting a natural urge and response, and are not mentally screwed.

Will pedophilia ever be condoned?  Is it the forever taboo?  What would it take for society to "accept" it as an alternate lifestyle, would you ever?

If it is a mental disorder, can it be treated?  That's a big argument as well.  I really wish I had found the studies/papers I've read... some suggest that treatment only works on those sexually assaulted as youngsters, a possible note they feel at showing that "true" pedophilia is not a disease.

Others feel it is incurable, akin to what they'd say all other sexual predators show as far as statistics go.  Sex criminals are so very likely to repeat their crime again, even more so than random cold blooded killings, according to the statistics (at least here in NYC).  Is that a factor?  Is it "incurable", merely "treatable", or simply too "natural" to hinder effectively?

I'm really trying hard to set this up without drawing sides here, actually play the "moderator" to the debate on this one - har har, bad joke parade... Anyway, so what are your thoughts on the subject at hand?

 

[Faeroe]

Ah, touchy subject.  I am disgusted with pedophiliacs who have acted upon their impulses.


Notice I said acted.


Now, I for one am not attracted to children at all in any way or form.  It is one thing to fantasize about children, but to actually have sex is rather wrong.


There is only a few reasons why I would find it natural for someone to do it-

1. Instinct to have what is forbidden.
2. Control.

That's about it.  The mental disorder comes in soon, after this-

3. Wanting to take innocence.

Now, lets say if X were illegal.  Before X was illegal, not much people were doing it.  But since X became illegal, more people started to do it. Why?  Simply because it was illegal.

My final verdict on this is-

half natural / half mental. 

 

[Mittens2317]

I'm not touching this one with a ten-foot pike, but most pedos are evil, so it's easy to hate them.

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

So what your saying is,
Look, but don't taste = natural
Look, and then taste = mental disorder?

 

[Faeroe]

No, I'm not, but you could put it like that.


I'm giving the reason people would do it.  You can fantasize about it and be as cruel as you want in your imagination.  It's only gets more unnatural/mental when someone acts upon it.   I guess I forgot to state that earlier.


Basically, I think it is sick either way- It is a rather bad perversion to have.  I believe it is mental either way, but some argue not.

 

[Jennestia]

Hmm...

Well honestly...can you control what you find and think is attractive? Most of the "decent" pedophiles doesn't seem like a lunatic or whatever, but most indeed are evil with mental problems.

At least in some parts of the world...there's these "child modeling" things, which I guess shows that people who like prepubescent teens aren't all just "evil men/women out to rape and kill little kids"..but I dunno.

It'll likely forever be taboo in most nations, but really...my stance on it is:

I don't care for it...whatever attracts people...that's their thing and there's nothing wrong with it...even if acting on it seems "immoral" or something, there's limits on what you should do...but honestly if you just fantasize about it..that's fine, acting on it? Most people want their fantasies fulfilled, just really..it isn't a 'mental problem' in general..just some (most?) of the pedophiles are mentally challenged, which is why I guess some people would say you have to be sick in the head to like pedophilia.

Then again, there's people who has various fetishes I'd view as REALLY mentally challenged or have problems.

 

[Alpharoth]

So what your saying is,
Look, but don't taste = natural
Look, and then taste = mental disorder?

Actually, to most people, that is true.

For example, in many anime forums, they always talks about tentacle hentai (if you don't know what that is, then don't ever try to find out). They enjoyed it and said it was sexually fulfilling. Others said it complete their fantasies. However, when asked if it happened in real life, they would help the victim instead of watching them in perversion.

Does this make them mental disordered people or are they still normal?
P.S Many Japanese loves tentacle hentai.

 

[___]

Based on my personal experience it is a mental disorder and it is curable if treatment is earnestly sought and given, at least in the early stages.  I knew a person who confessed that he was having pedophilic thoughts and fantasies and I urged him to seek therapy about it after having a drawn out debate with him on the subject, and after a couple months of seeing a specialist he was able to overcome it.  I know that's anecdotal but it gives me hope that other people with similar problems can be "fixed".

The crux of my argument with him was that regardless of whether it's natural to find pedophilia abhorrent or it's an unnatural social construct in line with other taboos on certain kinds of sexual behavior, the fact is the damage to the child's psychology is the same.  The lifelong impact on the child's self-esteem and image of healthy sexual relationships is drastic enough that the root cause of those effects, whether they are naturalistic or socially imposed, are irrelevant in considering whether such behavior should be considered acceptable.

 

[Marcus]

I'll be the first to admit that I'm borderline Pedo.  I'm a heterosexual male who's attracted to all females but I mostly take interest in girls much younger than me.  It's hard to classify myself as I'm not attracted at all to prepubescent girls, but I have to say that my general "preference" is between the ages of 13 and 16 when development begins but hasn't reached it's peak.

It's a mental thing by all means.  We can't CHOOSE who we are attracted to and I personally have a massive mental attraction to children both male and female.  Anyone who's seen my art knows that it almost exclusively includes kids because I like kids.  When I'm at the mall or in public and I'm surrounded by children I feel incredibly uncomfortable.  But my attraction is more platonic than sexual as I've never thought about having sex with a child below the age of 14.  I have a fascination with kids in general, but I believe sex is only something that adults can truly enjoy and benefit from.  Anyone who hasn't gone through puberty will be mentally and physically damaged from an act.

Now, onto the cure... well, I don't want to be cured.  Maybe one day my fascination will turn into something sexual and if it does then I pray to God that I never force myself upon a child, but until then I find it a perfectly healthy mental quirk.  There are many "straight" men who have homoerotic thoughts and it's perfectly natural for men to get erections at the thought of other men.  Does that make them gay?  No, it's natural.  Children are still human and whatever chemicals rattling around in my brain make me connect with them is natural on my part.  I don't consider myself evil or wrong for thinking the act.

So what your saying is,
Look, but don't taste = natural
Look, and then taste = mental disorder?

Both of these are natural.  Keep in mind that MAN'S LAW says "do not have sex with anyone under the age of consent" but if it weren't for "civilization" would we adhere to these man made laws? 

 

[iceplosion]

Well alright here's my view, an adult will understand and comprehend what it means to have sex with someone, a child will not. They can say they do but they really don't, I remember being a kid and at a friends house we "borrowed" a friends older brothers porn, we watched a video of two women having sex and assumed we were experts from that point onwards.
A kids brain isn't developed and capable of understanding as much as an adult, now of course you can argue against my previous point however there is one other point, if the kid hasn't gone through puberty it's abuse, if someone hasn't gone through puberty they are incapable of enjoying sex so it's being forced on them whether they believe it or not and it can only be a damaging experience, the reason people have a problem with pedophilia is because it is abusing the child involved and there is no way to tell how it will affect them.

However pedophilia was at one point an accepted practice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartan_pederasty 

They never showed us that in the 300.


alright it's a little more than pedophilia but the adult/child sex still happens.

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

I agree with most of what you said I_Can_Iceplode, but I just want to correct one statement.

A child who hasn't gone threw puberty can still enjoy sex, trust me.  It's not great, compared to later, and it's not really the exact same thing, but it's still enjoyable.  For the little teeny mind still fresh and child like, it's all "grown up" ... until you grow up then it's kind of just funny.  But I do agree with the abuse when it comes with adults.

As for Marcus' post.
I'm going to agree with again, several points.  I have an attraction to children, but it's not sexual.  I don't have fantasies or anything of the sort.  I'm goofy and just a big kid in real life, I like to play those children games with my cousins and their friends.  I'm like the nice Big Brother you see on TV trying to get you to volunteer.

As for the spoof post of:
Look but don't taste = Natural
Look and then taste = Unnatural?
It's more a comment on how to feel and to do are to close for one to be normal, and the other not.  I can see if it is a mental condition, where the inability to control oneself is the crux, but let's face it.  If we were talking about water being evil, would it be okay to want it, but some unnatural to drink it?

I'm not defending anyone, just bringing up a strange argument that you really can't separate the actions from the provoke from the urge.  If I have an urge to kill kittens by sticking them in a blender one by one, for example, I'm of a violent and sadistic mind.  Even if I don't ever actually kill them.

 

[PeteD2S]

Pedophilia isn't necessarily a mental disorder, it was practiced in ancient Rome and shit, I just think it's a very very very very very very very very perverted way of sex. Raping pedos, these have mental disorders and should be castrated, imo.

 

[Despain]

It's just a preference, like some people are gay and some people have jungle fever. Hell, in ten years there are going to be "Pedo Pride Parades" and people fighting for the right for pedophiles to marry.

Maybe not, but a man can dream...

 

[Rare]

Pedo Pride Parades

oh god the pedobear is going to be the mascot (you said you didn't wanna SEE it sixty...I never posted a picture >>')

 

[iceplosion]

It's just a preference, like some people are gay and some people have jungle fever. Hell, in ten years there are going to be "Pedo Pride Parades" and people fighting for the right for pedophiles to marry.

Maybe not, but a man can dream...

I lol'd at the right for pedos to marry, who would they marry?

Maybe it's not always as evil as it's portrayed but it's abusing one of the parties involved whether those involved (the adult as well as the child) realise it or not.

 

[Dissonance]

Pedophilia is quite a funny topic.  A girl that is one day below, say 18 (I know it changes per region but just using 18 as an example,) is off limits, but then wait a day and she becomes totally fuckable?  What?

In Canada the 'legal age' is 14.  However I realize that in the USA, It varies... let's stick with '18' for now.  There are people that are below 18 and are completely ready to have sex concerning safety and maturity, and there are people ABOVE 18 that are not.  Defining 'you're a pedo' by arbitrary ages is therefore troubling.

This doesn't even count instances when an adult and somebody under the legal age actually do fall in love.  I am reminded of several high profile cases where such a thing happened, and after the adult got out of jail the child was old enough to marry.

 

[Despain]

In Canada the 'legal age' is 14.

What?

I'm moving to Canada. :fap:

 

[Rare]

In Canada the 'legal age' is 14.

What?

I'm moving to Canada. :fap:

Yep, no lie.  And...

Despain = ultimate pedo

 

[Clizzz]

ROFL, Ultimate PWNAGE. Des is a pedo ...

I'm 16, not sure if this counts but, I have had sexual thoughts about several 13 year olds. Does that make me a Pedo, I really don't think so ... I guess being over a certain age  determines if you pedo our not, right?

Offtopic: I so have to go to Canada :fap: Gotta join, Des' Perv wagon ...

 

[Venetia]

Oh, sweet Jebus.

I'm not touching this with a 10 foot stick with dog doo at the end.

It doesn't matter if it's natural or not, pedos (adults w/ kids younger than 14) need to be keelhauled.