beta
Pedophilia is a psychiatric condition characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children, typically under the age of 13. It is classified as a paraphilic disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) if it causes distress, harm, or the risk of harm to others. Here's a detailed breakdown:
---
Key Aspects of Pedophilia:
1. Definition:
Pedophilia involves a recurrent and intense sexual interest in prepubescent children.
This attraction must persist for at least 6 months to be clinically diagnosed.
2. Distinction from Behavior:
Pedophilia refers to the attraction itself.
Child sexual abuse refers to actions where a person engages in sexual activity with a child. Not all individuals with pedophilic attraction act on their impulses.
3. Age Criteria:
The individual with pedophilic tendencies is usually at least 16 years old and at least 5 years older than the child in question.
4. Puberty vs. Prepubescence:
Pedophilia specifically pertains to an attraction to prepubescent children. Attraction to adolescents (post-puberty but under the age of legal consent) falls under other terms, such as hebephilia (early adolescence) or ephebophilia (mid-to-late adolescence).