Psychological Dispositions: Pedophilia and Paraphilia Essay

Throughout the ages, media and society have been concerned over children. Instead of youth as folk devils, children nowadays serve as the victims of folk devils (Critcher, 2002, p.532). With these trigger events popping up, stereotypes are gradually formed. In recent British history, Paedophile had become one of the most terrifying folk-devils (Jenkins, 1992, p.99). Paedophile behaviour is a moral panic one legal case and the panic is generally fuelled by the sensationalism of media in

Pedophilia is characterized as a sexual fondness for and activity with children. Pedophilia is a form of paraphilia (deviant sexual behavior). Pedophiles partake in acts that include fondling with a child's genitals, having sexual intercourse with and exploitation of children through prostitution or pornographic materials (Pedophilia, 2008). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in order to be diagnosed as a pedophile one must experience intense sexual arousal from prepubescent children over a period of six months. In addition to the sexual arousal the person must have acted on the urges and as a result experience extreme distress or impairment in important areas of functioning

     Harding wrote an article on pedophilia stating that pedophilia is a subcategory of a larger group of sexual disorders commonly classified as paraphilias. “These are defined as recurrent, intense, aphrodisiac fantasies, sexual urges,

When properly defining pedophile, one must understand the characteristics of a pedophile. Pedophiles target prepubescent children with a general age limit of about thirteen. In the book Moral Panic: Changing concepts of the Child Molester, Phillip Jenkins writes, “Pedophile is properly defined as someone sexually interested ‘in a prepubescent child (generally age thirteen years or younger) the word is popularly extended to a man who carries out a sexual act with an adolescent, making him a ‘molester’, a ‘baby-raper’”(8). A pedophile’s sexual actions target children and not specifically those of the same sex.

There are many myths that come along with pedophilia, some include the fact that pedophiles search for their victims in playgrounds and parks and that is how they find their next victim. Normally, individuals that have this pedophilia do not go out and search for their next victim. Many times when a child is assaulted it is usually by a family friend or a family member. Another myth would also be that pedophiles cannot control themselves around children. This is false because many times pedophiles know that

Pedophilia is a psychiatric mental disorder that describes when an adult or an older adolescent has a sexual attraction for young children under thirteen years old. In addition, it is no longer a secret that pedophilia is part of the Catholic Church 's history from the beginning of the 1980 's, and while the Catholic Church knew about this terrible situation did not take effective actions to solve it. Despite the fact that it is a crime that has been happening for over thirty years, according to Roland Flamini, a Washington-based correspondent who specializes in foreign affairs, in his article “Crisis in the Catholic Church” the first lawsuit involving priestly sexual abuse in the United States of America was filed

There is a continuous debate regarding the etiology of pedophilia. Today many think of pedophilia as a mental issue of deviance, but many studies are showing a combination of factors. For example, early sexual conduct, history of sexual misuse and pre-birth or early adolescence neurodevelopmental issues are attributed to the etiology of pedophilia (Goode, 2011). Researchers and therapists feel that sexual attraction to children is more of a biological cause that is beyond the pedophiles ability to control the sexual desire (Kaplan, 2015). Studies have revealed a strong indication of a neuro biological problem in the structure and function of frontal, temporal, and limbic areas of the brain (Tenbergen, 2015). How abnormality is socially developed is integral to any comprehension of sexual conduct

Sexual deviance is considered any sexual activity that is different than the normal, acceptable sexual activities of a society, but is vital for the person to experience arousal and orgasm (Sadock, 2007). The activities that are considered deviant can change over time and be different in different societies. These are also known as paraphilias. A paraphilia involves an extreme and continual sexual interest in children, objects, animals, materials, etc. or harming oneself or others during sexual activity. Sometimes the sexual interest focuses on the person’s own interests while in others it focuses on the target of the person’s sexual interest. For one to be diagnosed with one of these disorders, the paraphilia would need to cause considerable

Pedophilia is adult sexual fondness for and activity with children, it is a form of paraphilia (deviant sexual behavior). If acted out, pedophilia is legally defined as sexual child abuse. Pedophilia includes fondling a child 's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism, and commercial exploitation of children through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials (MedicineNet, 2012.) Pedophilia is defined as a chronic mental disorder by mental health professionals. While pedophilia may be limited to fantasies and impulses, pedophilic behaviors are the primary concern of both the mental health and criminal justice systems. Remote risk factors for development of pedophilia often include the individual having been sexually abused as a child

There are many different types of paraphilias, including pedophilia and necrophilia. Pedophilia is the sexual attraction or sexual gratification gained by an individual when they sexually engage with children or young, prepubescent individuals. Necrophilia is the sexual attraction or sexual gratification gained by an individual when they engage in intercourse with a corpse. Both paraphilias are socially shunned and deemed morally wrong for good reason. They are similar in that they both involve nonconsenting parties. Although a child may “consent” to the activity, their age makes them unfit to understand the situation and why it is inappropriate, therefore they will always be nonconsenting. Both a pedophile and a necrophile may gain sexual

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) paraphilias are characterized by recurrent, intense sexual urges and fantasies or behaviours in response to sexual objects or situations that are not part of normative arousal patterns involving the use of nonhuman objects (Munroe, Gauvain, 2001). More

I understand that the media is allowing society to become informed about sexual abuse by covering murder cases, high-profile offenders and congressional scandals in headlines and television shows. For decades, the media has portrayed pedophiles as monsters; however, they are no longer being viewed as the “stranger” in “danger.” They are your neighbors, friends, and family members. Most importantly, pedophiles are people before they become criminals. This “stranger danger” perception blinds us from the warning signs when the actual offender could be someone we know and care about. Society is always shocked to learn that someone has sexually abused a child. Often enough, we will ask, how could someone be so evil to sexually abuse a child? But

When thinking of sexual predators preying on children the first impression that comes to mind is how a person could commit an act so despicable. This is the question that lingers in the back of every logical person mind. In theory there will always be an explanation that could better help people comprehend the reasons on why tragedies such as pedophilia occur. One could consider the breakdown of a person’s societal bond which is considered the social control theory and or the result of an individual having a totally different thinking process known as the psychological theory. Although both of these prove worthy theories, the psychological theory for pedophilia analysis is more sound in comparison to the social control theory.

It is no surprise that scholars like Dr. Attwood are referring to current times as the “age of onscenity.” However, despite this being true and extremely frightening for all members of society, it is most especially frightening for society’s most impressionable members - teens and children. Moreover, in Dr. Rodriguez’s lecture he discussed the “Trigger Hypothesis.” This hypothesis assumes that upon exposure to sexually explicit material some individuals will essentially be triggered to the commit a sexual crime (Dr. Rodriguez). Although this hypothesis is relevant to all individuals it is most so with younger generations because they’re not fully developed mentally.

According to “Psychology Today”, “Pedophilia is considered a paraphilia, a condition in which a person's sexual arousal and gratification depend on fantasizing about and engaging in sexual behavior that is atypical and extreme. Pedophilia is defined as the fantasy or act of sexual activity with children who are generally age 13 years or younger. Pedophiles are usually men and can be attracted to either or both sexes. How well they relate to adults of the opposite sex varies” (Psychology Today). Most children are abused by someone close to them like a family member, friend, or neighbor. There are many different affects that happen to children when they are abused. Many children that are sexually abused face the risk of having many psychological