It seems we're reclassifying every horrible thing people to as being due to mental illness these days. I don't know if pedophilia is caused by mental illness. Nor do I know if mass-shooters or other terrible people end up the way they are because of mental illness. But if it is an illness, here's Dr. Honda's prescription:

 

I think it's possible that pedophilia is a mental illness, but in its own classification. It's not the same thing as depression, OCD, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia etc. I think the major concern is that with pedophiles (and other -phile types who are attracted to minors--be it sexual attraction for teens, younger children etc), there is a greater risk (depending on that individual's history), and so I can understand not having them housed near a school.

As for the other part: I don't like it when people don't want a group home or residence near them. All this fear about "bringing the value down" is ridiculous. People with mental illness (and even developmental disabilities) have the right to live in the community just like anyone else. As long as they are safe, I don't see the problem. It's an extra plus if they receive treatment and are productive.

The ones who cry and whine against having a residence for people with mental illness have probably had no one close them -- family or friend -- who has mental illness so their ideas of what a person with mental illness is/isn't can be very skewed and even incorrect. Not everyone with a mental illness is harmful. I have loved close to me who have suffered/are suffering with mental illness and they wouldn't harm anyone. It saddens me to know that there are ignorant people out there who are so worried about something they know so little about.

 

I have (and have had) several friends and family members with mental illnesses. And my dad worked in mental health for his entire career.

On the one hand I agree with you that there are people who are capable of being rehabilitated and living as functioning, contributing members of society and they should be given that chance.

On the other hand, the number of mental health facilities in this country are shrinking, and the government is too quick to throw people who are not ready out the door.

 

Same here, with having family and friends with mental illness. What kind of work did your father do? I did mental health counseling in a clinic for a short time. I greatly enjoyed it.

That's very true that there's a decrease in facilities and that the government is quick to throw people out the door--people who may not be able to function in society. That's the question: can they function, contribute? Are they safe? If they present as a risk, that's one thing. If they don't---why stop them from living a full life?

 

At times in the past, the DSM has considered pedophilia a disorder in a sort of blanket fashion. However, in the DSM V, its is listed as a disorder only conditionally, such as if it presents itself in a way that causes distress to yourself or others.

The APA sometimes defines a desire or a mode of thinking/behavior as a mental illness only if it causes distress to the person having the desire, or if it affects other areas of their life in a negative way. So for instance, if someone is into a certain sexual fetish, lets just say feet, then that in and of itself is not a disorder. However, if the fetish becomes an obsession that distresses the person with the fetish [who may themselves want it to go away], and is starting to negatively affect the person's relationships or sex life, then it may be defined as an illness.

In the same manner, if a pedophile has a sexual attraction to a child, but never acts on it, and doesn't obsess over it or have distress over it, and it doesn't effect his sex life or relationships with adults, and he lives his entire life and dies without it ever being a source of anxiety or ever being acted upon, then by our current standards it would probably not be considered a disorder.

If the pedophile is distressed by this desire, suffering anxiety over it, and obsessing with it, then yes, it would be considered a disorder.

In the third possibility, which is that the pedophile actually acts out on his desire, having inappropriate contact with a child, that's when he actually becomes an evil bastard and a criminal. The desire in that case would be the mental illness, but the acting out on the desire is the crime. Just like antisocial personality disorder is the illness, but a shooting up a church is the crime, which should not be excused due to the illness.

 

I would classify it as a sexual disorder, but not a mental illness, although under certain conditions it might be a mental illness too.

 

I don't care what anyone wants to call it.... Genetic disorder, mental illness, pyschological damage, whatever. Once they act and prey on a child, I have zero empathy for what "caused it".

 

Someone would have to restrain me if someone with a "mental illness" did anything to my daughter. I would have to be tranquilized to prevent me from going to prison! I'd hang him by his testicles

Sorry I guess I didn't answer the question...this topic fires me up.

 

Same shit here in Canada. Had to get out of the legal field because I could not condone defending an asshole who raped his 2 year old. Read a legal dossier complete with pictures and you wouldn't give a shit if its a mental illness or not. Personally, I like Honda's prescription. Or force all convicted and jailed pedophiles to be part of the prisons' general population. They will get all the 'treatment' they deserve.

 

It's scary the kind of shit I can come up with if I just think about something for two or three minutes. I think the morale of the following paragraph is: one can, in fact, see Law Abiding Citizen too many times. And the breaking bad scenes where they use hydrofluoric acid.

The relevant part of this video begins at about 5:00.
[video=youtube;eiiMBmomEbc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiiMBmomEbc[/video]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkOHDoEkPW0

 

It's tricky. Obviously there has to be some sort of 'cause' to it. I think classifying it as a sexual or mental disorder is pretty fair.

Like, if you have that kind of desire and act on it, you're a pretty ****ed up person regardless of what the cause is. Preying on children is completely unacceptable.

 

Yeah, that's a tough situation. Putting it under the category of a mental illness doesn't really change anything, does it? Maybe they are sick, but it's the unpredictability that is most worrisome.

 

I guess I can possibly feel some sympathy in how they got that way. In some cases it's formed due to abuse And I am always sorry for children who are abused.

To come from that place though to become the very thing that hurt and damaged you is unforgivable. This is really one of the handful of things that I think should result in a life sentence, no getting out, ever. The need to protect children far out ways any other consideration.

 

If a person has a sexual attraction to children, it is unnatural & vile. You could argue, yes, that men are programmed to want the youngest women based on a primal desire to have the most fertile mating partner, and woman want to have the man with the most powerful, fertile sperm, BUT...the laws have been made to reel in people from doing regrettable actions that will harm the child. Does that mean that countries with AOC laws that allow men to have sexual intercourse with a 15 YO are all pedophiles (or more accurately Hebephiles)? Possibly not.
HOWEVER, being attracted to a child who is unable to make the choice to want sexual contact or comprehend such a serious action is 10000% wrong.
I have heard the lame duck argument that "Yes I like kids but I never touch them"
Good for you. You aren't a 100% piece of shit. You are a 90% piece of shit. As soon as you touch a child, you are not allowed to live IMO.
As for making it a sexual orientation, that is totally unacceptable. For years groups like NAMBLA have tried to be welcomed under the LGBT flag and have been rejected, due to sexual contact with a child being unnatural and unacceptable. If you want to have sexual intercourse with a child, you are no better than a serial killer or a rapist.
As for whether or not its a disorder, YES. And the fact that many people are vying for widespread Pedophilic acceptance and forgiveness is sickening.
Child shaped sex dolls & "legal" child Pornography would only fuel the desire to have the pedophile want to offend. Its too much of a risk, so in my personal opinion, you ought to put these animals down before they "bite"
My three cents.

 

Yes this. Because i do not believe for a second that they are "curable". I do not and have never thought that it was a mental illness. And to use the word "sick" gives them to much of a pass. When a pedophile offends, they are in fact also committing murder. Because they have ruined that child for life. Absolutely no mercy should be given. In fact, proven offenders should be given the same treatment some countries are adapting now. And that is torture. I am in agreement with [MENTION=8031]Jen7[/MENTION] and any other mother out there. Just the thought of your child being harmed.......just unthinkable. There was a case in Alberta some years back where a father took a baseball bat to his son's hockey coach after finding out he was molested. Of course they arrested the father. A multitude of people showed up and threatened to take down the courthouse brick by brick. The father was convicted but given a suspended sentence. The molester? after getting out of the hospital and charged with Molestation of a minor, received 2 years....laughable.