An unsettling new documentary that features pedophiles advocating for themselves on camera argues that unless we provide these men with preventive therapy and mental-health support, we are failing their victims.
Spotlighting “the most viscerally hated group on earth,” I, Pedophile stresses a crucial distinction few of us care to make: the difference between pedophiles and child molesters. Full Article
There was another documentary titled Are all men pedophiles that I recommend for anyone who cares about this subject matter. I am glad certain countries are beginning to think in terms of diverting individuals from ever committing an offense in the first place without requiring legal entanglement. Unfortunately terminology is still lacking in terms of consistency around the world.
Pedophilia literally means different things to various groups within the same country and other countries. How law enforcement throws the term around versus how the average person uses the word versus when mental health professionals use the term all differ not just in the United States, but within and between other nations. Child molestation is another word with varying meanings that result in confusion. Actually most language concerning sexual offenses and how they are described does little or no good in addressing the real issues.
Someone who molests a child (the definition of child being poorly agreed upon) might not have touched the child, but had the child touch them. Yet someone who has sex with a child is typically not a child molester, but a rapist (regardless of whether or not those who fit under the child umbrella might be pubescent and maybe engaging on their own volition sometimes completely legally with some people but not others because of age gaps, prohibitions on same sex intercourse, or outside of marriage). Not that any of these behaviors are automatically good, but perhaps jumping to its horrible in every instance does as much harm as believing everything is just fine.
Child molestation is just one possible action and just because someone molests a child doesn’t mean they are a pedophile or that any other action or lack thereof should in of itself define a person. So good article despite falling short on some facts.