Pedophilia

What is Pedophilia?

Pedophilia is a paraphilia. According to the DSM 5, there is pedophilic disorder, when there have been "over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age 13 years or younger)." "The individual has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty." "The individual is at least age 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children."

Is pedophilia a mental disorder?

Yes, it is. There is a consensus among mental health professionals that paedophilia is a mental disorder.

Is this disorder more frequent in men or women?

This disorder nearly exclusively concerns men.

Can pedophilia be treated?

Yes, it can. It is difficult to completely remove the attraction for children and young adolescents, but therapy helps dimishing this attraction and not acting out. When the risk for acting on pedophilic urges is high, medication can be prescribed to reduce the level of sexual excitement. Pedophilia is often associated with anxiety, depression, sexual frustration, or a feeling of loneliness, which can be treated by a sex therapist.

List of paraphilic disorders

Here is a non-exhaustive list of paraphilic disorders: Pedophilia, transvestism, sadism, masochism, zoophilia, voyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, pedophilia, necrophilia, urophilia.