Kwantlen Psychology Student Journal
Issue 3, July 2021
Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Pedophilia and Sexual Orientation
Julianna Baker1
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of viewing pedophilia as a sexual
orientation. While there is a clear distinction between gender preferences in sexual orientations,
the discussion around other factors of sexual orientation do not often include age orientation.
Using the multi-dimensional framework proposed by Seto (2016), this paper seeks to add to the
discussion

of

expanding

the

definition

of

sexual

orientation

to

include

age

orientation. Pedophilia describes a paraphilia where people are romantically or sexually
attracted to children. According to the DSM-5, people can be diagnosed with Pedophilic
Disorder if their romantic and sexual attraction to children is persistent, pervasive, and if these
feelings cause significant distress, or if they have acted on their feelings. Expanding the
definition of sexual orientation to include age orientation would help reduce the stigma
experienced by the minor-attracted population by allowing safer access to therapeutic
interventions. Differentiating between sexual attraction and criminal behaviour would increase
access to therapeutic interventions targeted towards reducing sexual offences against children.
Keywords: pedophilia, sexual orientation, age orientation, pedophilic disorder

1

Written for Human Sexuality (PSYC 3010). Thank you to Dr. Cory Pedersen for the recommendation and support
in writing this paper.

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Pedophilia and Sexual Orientation
While people with pervasive mental illness are the victims of stigma, isolation, and fear
in society, few illnesses are as rejected as pedophilia. Pedophilia can be defined as persistent
recurring thoughts, fantasies, and attraction towards prepubescent children (Seto, 2012). In
research conducted on people with pedophilic sexual interests, there are three commonly
discussed classifications: pedophilia, hebephilia and teleiophilia. Pedophilia is an attraction to
prepubescent children, hebephilia describes attraction to early pubescent children, and
teleiophilia defines attraction to postpubescent adults.
Seto (2012) estimated that pedophilia and hebephilia occurs in an about 1% of the general
population. Providing a precise estimate for the prevalence of pedophilia is difficult due to the
sensitive nature and implications of “coming out” as a pedophile. The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) describes
pedophilia as a paraphilia, which is an abnormal sexual interest. Paraphilias can lead to
paraphilic disorders, but paraphilic disorders and paraphilias are not synonymous. To be
diagnosed with a paraphilic disorder, such as Pedophilic Disorder in this case, the individual
must have experienced marked distress caused by their pedophilic urges or have acted on those
urges. Indeed, an individual can be diagnosed with Pedophilic Disorder without harming a
child.
Imhoff and Jahnke (2018) argued that the boundary between people with a paraphilia and
people with paraphilic disorders is not clear to the public. Unlike other paraphilias, such as
voyeurism and fetishism, pedophilia is commonly believed to be distinctly linked to criminality.
This is likely due to the conflation between pedophilia and child molestation, even though not
all individuals with Pedophilic Disorder have caused harm to children (Imhoff & Jahnke, 2018).

Pedophilia and Sexual Offending
Seto (2012) estimated that about half of offenders who committed sexual acts against
children have a pedophilic orientation. Indeed, the data indicates that not every person who
commits a sexual offence against a child is attracted to children. Other motivations for sex
crimes against children include antisocial personality traits, situational influences, lack of social
skills, and opportunity to commit the crime (Seto, 2012; Walker, 2020). The variation in
motivations for committing sex crimes against children indicates that pedophilic desire and

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fantasies alone are not enough to explain sexual offending against children, which defines a
variation between pedophilic attraction and sexual offending (Jahnke, 2018).
This is contrary to the popular belief that all child sex offenders are pedophiles. The term
pedophile is often used interchangeably with child molester, which is a person who has been
convicted of a sexual offense against a child. However, there is a distinction between
individuals with pedophilic sexual interest and people who commit sexual offences against
children, since not every minor-attracted person (MAP) will act on their urges (Seto, 2012;
Walker, 2020). People commonly believe that pedophiles have no control over their urges, but
research indicates that the majority of MAPs are aware of the legal implications of their
attraction to children and learn to live with their thoughts and urges without acting on them
(Jahnke, 2018).
However, it is difficult to gather accurate data around how many MAPs have offended
against children compared to how many have been able to control their urges (non-offenders).
Due to the societal implications of admitting pedophilic desires, non-offenders are unlikely to
be identified (Seto, 2012). Similarly, not all pedophiles who have committed sex crimes against
children will be caught, and not all people who are convicted of sex crimes against children are
pedophiles. Researchers estimate that between 50-70% of people who have been convicted of
sex crimes against children are not pedophiles (Seto, 2012; Walker, 2020).
Since it is difficult to gather accurate self-report data due to the stigma surrounding
pedophilia, most research has measured criminal behaviour (sexual contact with children,
viewing child pornography) rather than measuring attraction and interest (Seto, 2016). Since
most available data has been collected from convicted sexual offenders, the data is likely to
reflect issues that are more closely linked to criminality compared to other aspects of sexual
attraction towards children in the non-offending population.

Pedophilia and Child Pornography
While there are MAPs who have not acted on their urges by molesting a child, most selfidentified pedophiles admit to using child pornography (Seto, 2010). One possible argument
against the distinction between pedophilia and criminality is the continued victimization
experienced by the victims of child pornography (Babchishin et al., 2014). Seto (2010) argues
that there is a link between the use of child pornography (CP) and expressions of pedophilic

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interests. Gewirtz-Meydan et al. (2018) describe CP as sexually explicit depictions of people
under the age of 18.
There is a link between sexual interests and choices in pornography, and CP users show
significantly greater sexual attraction to children compared to convicted child molesters (Seto,
2010). Even though not all convicted child molesters self-report significant attraction to
children, Babchishin et al., (2014) found that convicted child molesters view images of prepubescent children longer than images of adults. Even if the person viewing child pornography
is not physically harming a child, the use of CP supports the production of material ultimately
leading to the abuse of children (Babchishin et al., 2014). Measuring the use of child
pornography can provide a more objective assessment of pedophilia compared to self-report
data, which would provide stronger evidence for the diagnosis of Pedophilic Disorder and
potentially facilitate treatment focused on stopping the use of CP (Seto, 2010).

Pedophilia and the LGBTQ+ Community
Historical views of pedophilia have changed over the past few decades, ultimately leading
to societal exclusion for pedophiles who were once considered to be members of the queer
community (Walker, 2020). Prior to the gay rights movement, non-heterosexual people and
people with other attractions that fell outside the norm were considered predatory by nature
(Walker, 2020). The definition of “queer” has changed over the years, and some argue that the
label of queer previously included MAPs. Indeed, the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Rights
Coalition publicly favoured abolishing the age of consent in the 1970s during a time when
pedophiles were more widely accepted in the queer community (Walker, 2020). After the
harmful effects of child abuse became more commonly known, pedophiles were rejected from
the LGBTQ+ community.
Walker (2020) interviewed non-offending, self-identified pedophiles who described
similar experiences of rejection and stigma from the LGBTQ+ community. MAPs who
indicated attraction to children of the same sex (homosexual pedophiles) described difficulty in
labeling their identity due to rejection from the queer community upon revealing their ageorientation.
Indeed, people with a sexual interest in children are despised socially at a heightened
extent when compared to other categories of atypical sexual interest, even if the individual has
not committed a crime against children (Imhoff & Jahnke, 2018; Jahnke, 2018). Since it is

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widely accepted that adult-child sex has long-term negative impacts on the child, many
pedophiles experience distress over their feelings and urges but are unable to seek treatment
due to their societal rejection.

Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is primarily defined as attraction to one or multiple genders, and is
typically defined by examining sexual thoughts, fantasies, urges, arousal, and behaviour (Seto,
2012). Seto (2016) suggested expanding the current definition of sexual orientation to
emphasize the stable tendency to orient attraction and arousal to classes of stimuli, including
age. This multi-dimensional framework would broaden the definition of sexual orientation to
allow for individuals to have multiple sexual orientations other than their gender attraction.
Controversially, Seto (2012) argued that pedophilia and other age-orientations would be more
accurately classified as a sexual orientation.
When the DSM-5 was originally published, pedophilia was included as pedophilic sexual
orientation and pedophilic disorder was a separate diagnostic category for people who have
acted on the thoughts or experience extreme distress (Walker, 2020). However, this definition
was modified to exclude the categorization of pedophilia as a sexual orientation due to backlash
and criticism received. Bailey et al. (2016) argued that this change in definition was based on
the political implications rather than scientific data on sexual and gender orientation. Many
researchers argue that the common definition of sexual orientation is too narrow and should be
expanded to include other fixed aspects of attraction (Grundmann et al., 2016; Seto, 2012;
Walker, 2020).
When compared to research conducted on the changeability of sexual orientation,
research on pedophilia shows similar results of immutability and permanence (Walker, 2020).
Seto (2012) compared four main features of sexual orientation and pedophilia: age of onset,
neurobiological similarities, associations with romantic and sexual behaviour, and stability over
time. Seto (2012, 2016) highlighted similarities between gender-orientation and ageorientation, including a similar age of onset and stability over time. Like previous research
conducted on sexual orientation, Seto (2012) found that sexual attraction to children is unlikely
to decrease over time or with therapeutic intervention, rendering it unchangeable.
Bailey et al. (2016) also found that gender and age orientation are on a spectrum, or
continuum, of attraction for pedophiles and teleiophiles by modeling sexual arousal responses

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using an age-gender gradient. The age-gender gradient charted phallometric research on
convicted sex offenders’ attraction patterns to overlapping physical similarities across ages and
genders. Interestingly, the age-gender gradient research conducted by Bailey et al. (2016)
showed that teleiophiles have the capacity to be attracted to children based on their overlapping
physical characteristics of the target of attraction. This indicates that sexual attraction towards
children is on a spectrum of attraction that is beyond an individual’s control.
Even though data is sparse regarding etiology and remission, measures of changeability
and stability of pedophilia support the conceptualization of pedophilia as an element of sexual
orientation (Grundmann et al., 2016). The controversy surrounding conceptualizations of
pedophilia often branches into two perspectives: a sexual medicine perspective and a
behavioural perspective (Grundmann et al., 2016). The sexual medicine perspective highlights
biological markers for orientation, including the manifestation of sexual preference during
puberty for both pedophilia and gender preference; whereas the behavioural perspective argues
that pedophilia is a changeable, learned behaviour and an acquired sexual interest (Grundmaan
et al., 2016). Indeed, this viewpoint aligns with the common belief that pedophiles can change
who they are attracted to, even though this belief is outdated regarding gender orientation
(Imhoff & Jahnke, 2018; Walker, 2020).

Risks of Classification
Since there is a general misconception that all pedophiles are criminals, one of the central
arguments is that redefining pedophilia as an orientation will lead to an increase in sex crimes
against children (Bailey et al., 2016). From this perspective, reducing the stigma towards
pedophiles equates to accepting adult-child sex as a societal norm. Seto (2012) described a
minority of the pedophile population who believe that sexual relationships with children benefit
both the child and adult, and these individuals may have self-serving motives in classifying
pedophilia as an orientation. However, non-offending pedophiles consistently identify that they
can control their behaviour because they understand that sex with children is harmful (Walker,
2020).
The argument against decreasing stigma towards MAPs is largely political due to the
disgust and fear expressed by the general population, but there is some research that opposes
the scientific perspective. Proponents for expanding the definition of sexual orientation
highlight research that links gender and age orientation through similar age of onset and

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permanence (Bailey et al., 2016; Grundmann et al., 2017; Seto 2012, 2016). In response to the
conclusions by Grundmann et al. (2017), Tozdan and Briken (2017) argued that the
unchangeable nature of pedophilia is a scientifically premature opinion and defining a mental
disorder as an unchangeable personality trait strengthens its resistance to change. From this
perspective, classifying age-orientation as part of sexual orientation sends a message of
acceptance. This acceptance would lead to a decreased motivation for pedophiles to change
their behaviour. Tozdan and Briken (2017) used self-labeling theory to describe the potentially
harmful impact that reducing stigma could have on treatment plans for pedophiles. Since high
self-efficacy of change leads to stronger results, they argue that telling pedophiles that they are
unable to change leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy of them being unable to change their
attraction (Tozdan & Briken, 2017).
Another perspective against including pedophilia in sexual orientation emphasizes the
difference between coercive and non-coercive paraphilias. Coercive paraphilias are enduring
sexual urges involving non-consenting individuals, and non-coercive paraphilias involve
consenting individuals. Krueger et al. (2017) outlined the difference between people who
commit crimes and people with paraphilias, but they argue that all coercive paraphilias are
mental disorders that require treatment since they involve non-consenting targets. This
perspective aligns with the common belief that all pedophiles are criminals, and that all
pedophiles will eventually harm a child.

Implications
Most participants in self-report data collected by Walker (2020) agree that they consider
their pedophilic interest to be part of their sexual orientation, although some participants viewed
their pedophilic interests as an illness that they must learn to live with. Since individuals with
pedophilic sexual interest are at an increased risk of depression, suicidal ideation, and social
exclusion, it is likely that reducing the shame associated with seeking help for pedophilic urges
would improve the psychological well-being of the individual. Reducing the barriers to
treatment and improving the quality of life for the MAP could reduce harm to minors by
mitigating factors that could lead to offending, such as social isolation (Jahnke, 2018; Walker,
2020). The link between pedophilia and child sexual abuse is not definitive, since an estimated
50% of people who have committed sexual offences against children are not pedophiles, and
not all MAPs act on their urges.

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The stigma and punitive attitude towards MAPs decrease the likelihood that pedophiles
will seek treatment to help cope with their urges (Imhoff & Jahnke, 2018). Differentiating
between sexual attraction and criminal behaviour and understanding that pedophiles are unable
to control their age-orientation towards minors but can control their behaviour are important
reasons to decrease the stigma (Imhoff & Jahnke, 2018; Jahnke, 2018). Understanding the
sexual attraction patterns of MAPs and increasing access to treatment could improve the lives
of pedophiles and reduce their likelihood of offending (Bailey et al., 2016). From a therapeutic
perspective regarding the fixed nature of pedophilia, viewing pedophilic interest as an element
of sexual orientation would allow therapeutic intervention to focus on self-regulation skills
rather than viewing the thoughts and urges as changeable (Seto, 2012).

Conclusion
Even though the topic continues to be controversial, the benefits of viewing pedophilia
as a sexual orientation outweigh the potential political and social disadvantages. However, it is
unlikely that the public perception of pedophilia will change soon due to the pervasive social
stigma towards pedophiles. Even though the scientific definition of sexual orientation could be
expanded to include pedophilia, advocates for harsher punishment towards pedophiles are
likely to view the definition change to permit crimes against children. It is important to clarify
that expanding sexual orientation to include age-orientation does not exclude pedophilia from
its classification as a mental disorder in the DSM-5, and people with pedophilic orientation
should seek treatment rather than accepting their attraction as the norm. Further research could
compare the onset, changeability, and traits of other mental illnesses to paraphilias including
pedophilia.

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