Differences between pedophilia and pederasty

Pedophilia refers to sexual attraction to minors and pederasty to child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse is a severe crime that has serious effects on the psychological development of children. Most people use the terms "pedophile" and "pederast" interchangeably to refer to those who engage in such acts, considering them synonymous.

However, although deeply linked, both concepts do not refer to exactly the same thing. That is why this article aims to distinguish and highlight the differences between pedophilia and pederasty. differences between pedophilia and pederasty.

Defining pedophilia

Pedophilia or pedophilia is a paraphilia, that is, a disorder of sexual inclination characterized by the presence of recurrent fantasies producing a high level of sexual arousal in which the object of desire is an object, persons or non-consenting entities or a situation of humiliation and suffering of oneself and others. Experiencing such fantasies can lead to fantasies can lead to their realization and/or feelings of intense discomfort for the sufferer. for the sufferer.

In the specific case of pedophilia, the object of desire or that which provokes the sexual attraction are prepubescent boys or girls. Specifically it can be considered a chronophilia, because there is a great difference between the age of the subject and that of the object of desire. For its diagnosis it is necessary that the subject is older than sixteen years of age and that the victim or object of desire is at least five years younger.

As a general rule, the pedophile will seek contact with his object of desire, often resorting to pornographic images and self-stimulating himself on the basis of his fantasies, but but he does not necessarily intend to engage in sexual intercourse..

What do we call pederasty?

As far as pedophiles are concerned, they are considered as such those individuals in whom the pedophile's own fantasies have been brought to reality. In other words, pederasty is the sexual abuse of minors****s.

This abuse includes all conduct in which a minor is used as a sexual object by an individual with whom there is a relationship of inequality in terms of age, power or maturity.

It is a criminal criminal practice punishable by law that can have serious repercussions on the present and/or future psychosocial and sexual development of the minor being abused. Even if the sexual relationship is consented to by the minor, if the minor is below the age of sexual consent, the act itself will be considered abuse and classified as rape. Consensual sexual liaison between subjects in late adolescence with individuals at least thirteen years of age is not considered as such.

Elements in common and main differences

Having visualized the definitions of both pedophilia and pederasty, it is easy to establish what elements they have in common and how they differ.

In both cases we are talking about the presence of an illicit link between an adult and a minor, with a romantic or sexual attraction between the former and the latter. This attraction is continuous over time, persisting for at least six months.

The main difference lies in whether or not whether or not the sexual attraction takes the form of an action.. While a pedophile may only feel the impulse and have recurrent sexual fantasies in which his object of desire are minors, a pedophile is considered a pedophile who has committed the sexual act itself. In other words, while the pedophile has had sexual relations with a child, the pedophile does not actually perform the act (in which case he/she becomes a pedophile).

Thus, not all pedophiles are not all pedophiles are pedophilesIn general, not all pedophiles are pedophiles, while all pedophiles are pedophiles. However, this is not always true, since it is possible to find cases of sexual abuse of minors without them being the object of sexual preference on the part of the adult.

Criminal imputability

Pedophilia is a disorder of sexual inclination or choice of sexual object, the choice of sexual object being limited. However, as a rule, the sufferer is perfectly capable of realizing what it means for the children involved. is perfectly capable of realizing what it means for the minors involved, the damage caused and the factThe damage caused and the fact that it is a serious crime punishable by law. Their decision-making capacity is not impaired, so they are fully responsible for their actions.

Thus, pederasty and different activities carried out by pedophiles (corruption of minors, creation, possession or possession of child pornography, etc.) are punishable by law, and most of these individuals are considered fully imputable.