Why are pedophiles considered mentally ill?

Your older brother's friend is brave for admitting he is a pedophile. Since mankind existed a certain percentage of adults have felt attraction towards children, especially those just coming out of prepubescence. When a young girl starts to bleed, it is a signal that she is biologically ready to have children, and some men are more attuned to this. You can't call somebody that is attracted for children mentally ill just like you can't say gays are mentally ill. I applaud your brother's friend for coming out with that. It must have been a pretty big burden to carry all those years. I can only imagine.

Which is excactly why i feel sorry for him. Just the other day he almost got in a fight over it. To be fair though, the daugther of the person who wanted to beat him up did have contact with him, but it just seemed like he jumped to conclusions. Then again, I guess you can't blame a dad for wanting to protect his daugther, even if the thread is basically nonexistent.

My mother worked in a juvenile delinquent center. All I can say is that eventually, some childs life gets destroyed. The worst part is sometimes THEY become perpetrators too due to emotional damage. Your brothers freind is entitled to his own style of life. Hopefully he realises the negative image is earned. UPDATED. Apologies klausiboy.

Um, Jas? My brother is completely normal, it's one of his friends -_- also, I believe i already mentioned he knows that it's not a good image to have. I mentioned he moved away and cut all ties to his friends, which I assumed would be enough for people to figure out that he thinks he isn't welcome. Please read through the thread properly. Also, the negative image he has is the part I don't think is fair. If he haven't done anything and is otherwise a very nice guy, why should he have a negative image just because he has urges, when he hasn't even acted upon them? It's completely fair if people don't like him, everyone is entitled to their opinion about people, what I am wondering is basically why people wouldn't like him. It doesn't make sense to me as long as he doesn't do anything physical.

One reads or hears news with cases of pedophiles and the result is also the negative aspect. I am not for pedophile because for me is a pedophile, one of the touches children, let's say under 14. When I was 14 and a 20 year together was also a lot of something negative to say. You have to pay attention to many aspects. For child and adolescent is also different. Would a grown man lay hands on my daughter (8) I do not know what I would do with that. Thoughts and wishes are very different from doing something. I also think that the word "sick" in this case was made just to get back to have something they can handle and earn mere money. I also find the comparative homosexuality and pedophiles rather questionable, because what does that have to do with one another? I do not think homosexuality can destroy the psyche of a person no matter how you look at it! The question is when will it be pedophile, the law is often questionable so I do not see there after. But let's say an adult wishes to have a small child for (I do not want to write, you can think of) you could really after the make and not think negatively about it? I can not.

I haven't read all of the comments but I would like to point out that there might be a sub category or a difference between pedophile and child molester I.E (Chester). I have not researched it but for me...A pedophile can be categorized as liking a young women or man that borderlines boy or girl. For example The 15/16 year old girl that knowingly goes with a 20+ man cause they are attracted to each other. The guy is in the wrong cause he should know better but still does it. On the other hand a Chester for some unfathomable reason wants to be with children and sure different ppl have different preferences but don't involve children! Now as to illness...I say yes if your a chester. I say you have problems if your a pedophile but if the other party is consenting then its both of there faults but should not mean the older one should get off the hook. Why is it an illness and not just a preference? I say cause not only is there no reproductive value no reason to be attracted to them but your deliberately ruining others lives. They are now scared for life just cause you wanted to get sum and if we wanted to mess with people lives like that might as well go back to slaves. I have alot more to say but my personal opinion is I call Bull**** on the whole its a sexual preference card

There is a difference between attraction and actual abuse, sure. Nevertheless, the road down always leads to abuse and support of illegal industries perpetrating abuse. I'll leave other people to justify their views. The end game is the same regardless.

Anna, no, I'm not a pedo, I was just wondering about the subject because I know one who is. And I have to admit, I had thought that people would generally have a more accepting mindset on this site, seing as Otaku are often judged as nerds or something by society (at least that's what i experience), so I thought this community wouldn't judge as hard. And I'm not saying that pedophiles should be allowed to do actual stuff to children, but I'm just wondering why we judge those pedophiles who haven't actually ever molested a child One question though, how many of you have ever met an actual pedo?

I'm going to clear this up. According to the DSM-5, Pedophilia is a mental illness. Pedophilia is someone with a seal interstate in a prepubescent Person 11 or under. Most people, however, have Hebephilia, or the sexual attraction between 11- ~14. For a majority of time until the last century or so, it was normal to marry somebody as young as 12-13, and have children. Then there is ephebophilia, or 14-19, which is also in the majority of people. A few reasons for this, especially recently is thanks to hormones companies are adding to milk and foods. They speed up the bodies maturing process, making their bodies more desirable and carnal nature comes into play. Both aformentioned are still labeled as pedophilia in socitey, although the DSM-5 does not list them as a disorder.