Legalization of Pedophilia

• Post by: Nicole M. King
• January 23, 2014

The Wave of the Future? In late October of 2013, conservative news sources became aware that in its newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM-5), the American Psychological Association had labeled pedophilia an “orientation” instead of a “disorder.”[1]  The APA quickly backpedaled, claiming in an October 31 press release, “‘Sexual orientation’ is not a term used in the diagnostic criteria for pedophilic disorder and its use in the DSM-5 text discussion is an error and should read ‘sexual interest.’”[2] The statement continued to note that the APA considered pedophilia to be a “paraphilia,” and that the supposed blooper would be corrected in the next printing of the DSM-5.  An APA factsheet on the DSM-5 new definition, “paraphilias,” however, should give pause: Most people with atypical sexual interests do not have a mental disorder.  To be diagnosed with a paraphilic disorder, DSM-5 requires that people with these interests: feel personal distress about their interest, not merely distress resulting from society’s disapproval, or have a sexual desire or behavior that involves another person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving unwilling persons or persons unable to give legal consent. To further define the line between an atypical sexual interest and disorder, the Work Group revised the names of these disorders to differentiate between the behavior itself and the disorder stemming from that behavior. . . . It is a subtle but crucial difference that makes it possible for an individual to engage in consensual atypical sexual behavior without inappropriately being labeled with a mental disorder.[3] This definition is tortured for a reason: the APA, and many other similar bodies, are well on their way to acceptance of the once unthinkable act of adult sex with a child.  Pedophilia, it seems, is classified as