to think being a paedophile isn't a crime?

[KissingFish]

I see posts from people both on here and other places (Facebook) about how paedophiles should all be killed and confusing the terms paedophile and child molester / child abuser.

They're not the same thing and honestly I don't think being a paedophile is a crime. It is a sexual orientation that nobody chooses to be born with. The same way people are born straight or gay.

Just because someone is a paedophile it doesn't mean they have acted on it and so it doesn't mean they are a child molester.

Surely if we all accepted that paedophilia is a sexual orientation we could help these people before they commit a crime. Before they act on it. I bet there are a LOT more paedophiles out there than we know about. They just don't act on it because they know it's wrong to act on it.

I am of course not saying being sexually attracted to children is a good thing or that it should ever be OK to act on it. No way. Just that I don't think people choose to be a paedophile and it must be pretty scary to realise you are attracted to children. Much the same way it used to be about being gay. And I don't imagine you can just ask friends, family or many people actually for help and advice.

I think in order to deal with a problem you need to understand it first.

I am willing to be convinced otherwise though if anyone has a good argument?

Disclaimer: I am not a paedophile, I just don't believe they are all evil.

You're correct. But I'm AMAZED this threat is still as polite as it is!

No you are right, its not a crime, unless it is acted upon, images a viewed, children are abused, then it becomes a crime.

Does the OP actually understand the internal damage done to children who are attacked by sexual intercourse?
It's not a sexual orientation, it's a power and abuse thing.

People are getting mixed up again. A paedophile is not defined as someone who sexually abuses a child, a paedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to a child. A paedophile would be very unlikely to have a sex with a child as it would hurt them, and as it would destroy their innocence. In the ideal world for a paedophile they would indulge in mutual masturbation and possibly oral sex, never penetrative sex. They want a mutually enjoyable and (to their eyes) consenting relationship. Of course, as with all sexual preferences there will be a small minority who do want to hurt/terrify/have power, but that in general is not a paedophile.

YABU.

Stop comparing it to homosexuality. That's a sexual orientation based on consensual sexual relations. Peadophilia is a "sexual orientation" based on abuse. That's the difference right there, that's what turns them on, that's what they fantasis about and it's sick.

Secondly, how can you trust someone that theyve never acted on it? due to the nature of adult against child abuse, there may be many hidden victims. And if they're saying they don't act on it, but they are viewing/have viewed child porn, then they are finding and fuelling a demand for the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable children.

No the stigma shoudn't be removed, and yes they should be scared. It's probably one of the main things stopping people with thoughts from acting on it.

To describe it as a sexual orientation, it is not, to compare it with being gay, straight and bi, is insulting and somehow normalises it, and makes it seem fine and acceptable, which it is not! Its really a distorted cognition which needs threrapy to change that person's way of thinking. But op, please don't normalise it.

Gottage

^Why would you not feel pity for someone who struggles? If they are managing to 'control' these feelings it must require a lot of effort. How do you know they do not feel disgust and revulsion? It is possible they do.
We can judge an act - but surely not a feeling?^

I don't feel pity for someone managing to 'control' themselves at all! If I was struggling with such overwhelming feelings like this to rape and damage a child, I would either go to my GP for chemical injections, and be chemically castrated. If all else failed I would take myself out of this world altogether. I would NOT be feeling self pity! I would be doing everything I could to protect the innocent children around me from my predatory and dangerous disorder.

Even if it is possible to 'control' these feelings how can one possibly live like this? In a state of despair and self loathing.
I would meet my maker with pride that I spared my sickening depravity on the children around me if I could not find another way to deal with this disorder properly.

Another difference is i don't think you're born a pedopphile, in an open letter circulated recently a pedophile described his attraction to children as having developed thoughout his teenage years due to feelings of inferiority. Pathetic,

If they're that serious about not acting on it they could campaign for voluntary chemical castration.

But how do we define "normal" sexual orientations? In purely biological terms homosexuality is abnormal, as the whole point of sex is to produce offspring. Normal is defined by society based on the moral views of the time, it is not some sort of fixed absolute.

Maryz, I understand that, but my point is that you cannot separate the physical damage done to children with a viewpoint that sexual attraction to children exists and therefore we must feel sorry for those, in reality very few people, who have these sexual feelings.

Most people, sadly, mainly men, who do this to children of all genders, do so because of power and are in the main abusive and entitled to act upon whatever kind of sex they want.

and all you pedophile sympathisers here, saying how hard it must be and we should trust they havn't acted on it and help them, will you be inviting them all round for dinner with your children then?

True lurking, but neither would I expect to read its ok to think these things as it's their 'orientation' or preference to want to murder/steal or rape, in the same way its my preference not to. So long as they don't actually do it, its ok with some mnetters confused

Well that's a terrifying thought. So you believe that people should somehow be punished because of what they think, not how they choose to act?

chemical castration

Most people, sadly, mainly men, who do this to children of all genders, do so because of power and are in the main abusive and entitled to act upon whatever kind of sex they want.

Those that you describe in this sentence are child abusers not necessarily paedophiles.

it's like a pity paty for pedos.

ItsAll, the whole point of sex is surely to have mutual sexual pleasure.

yeah let them seek help as in chemical castration.

ItsAll, the whole point of sex is surely to have mutual sexual pleasure.

In that case paedophilia is normal. Paedophiles would want a mutually pleasurable sexual relationship with a child.

I'm sorry with resources the way they are spread out atm... for example a 6 month waiting list for counselling in my area if you have pnd or depression, I would not be supporting help and resources for pedophiles no way. And if that meant they killed themselves then it's one less to worry about.

Not necessarily Elendon. The whole point of sex could be to produce offspring.

surely letting them seek help is far more helpful

They can