Are paedophiles who don't act on their feelings still in the wrong?

[Empired]

I think everyone at HabboxForum can agree that child abuse (of any kind, but here we're talking about sexual abuse) is wrong, but what about the adult who are sexually attracted to minors who never act on their feelings?

Should they be punished or "treated" for their attractions or should they be left alone as long as they don't abuse children? By letting them roam around in society is it just an "accident waiting to happen"? Should they have to voice their feelings or should they be allowed to keep them to themselves?

Basically do we have to protect minors from paedophiles who never act on their attractions?

Note: I'm using the term "paedophile" to mean anyone attracted to those who are underage - being a paedophile does not automatically mean you have acted on your feelings.

[Joe]

That is a really difficult one, but I think I'd let them be as long as they don't act on their feelings. I guess you can roughly compare it to someone wanting to kill someone but never acting on it - you can't punish them for thinking about it as long as they don't act upon it? I'm not too sure, I think that's my view anyway.

[Empired]

That is a really difficult one, but I think I'd let them be as long as they don't act on their feelings. I guess you can roughly compare it to someone wanting to kill someone but never acting on it - you can't punish them for thinking about it as long as they don't act upon it? I'm not too sure, I think that's my view anyway.

That's definitely a point of view that I agree with but I have so many conflicting perspectives that I also agree with that I don't know what to think!

I hear some paedophiles are arguing that it's like any other sexuality where you can't control what you're attracted to, you're just born with it and are campaigning for paedophilia to become an actual sexuality. I don't think that's right at all.

[Joe]

That's definitely a point of view that I agree with but I have so many conflicting perspectives that I also agree with that I don't know what to think!

I hear some paedophiles are arguing that it's like any other sexuality where you can't control what you're attracted to, you're just born with it and are campaigning for paedophilia to become an actual sexuality. I don't think that's right at all.

OH god no - making it a sexuality almost condones it, which is completely wrong. I can't help but accept that some people are attracted to them and they can't change that fact at all, but to attempt to normalise it in that way is horrific.

[MKR&*42]

Your definition is actually incorrect (I can't tell if this was intentional or not). A paedophile is someone who has had sex with an underage person, if you only have the feelings then you merely have paedophilia.

I've complained about this a lot on other forums because it's frustrating how society seems not prepared to help anyone who has paedophilia, hasn't acted on it, and wants to overcome the feelings. Like every other paraphilia and fetish, it isdeeply rooted (biologically speaking) and essentially a core part of that person's personality - it is not an "on/off" feeling, much like how someone's desire to have sex with a male/female isn't "on/off".

I don't wanna rant about this loads, so I'll just link to a BBC article which describes the good response Germany is taking to these people with paedophilia:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33464970

[FlyingJesus]

If someone hasn't committed a crime they're not a criminal and can't be charged as one, simple. Thinking about robbing a house isn't an offence

[Sian]

Yep, if the person has paedophilia but not acted then they have done nothing wrong. Reminds me of that documentary on channel 4, a guy with paedophilia openly spoke about it, how he refused to act on it but couldn't help how he felt, thus he seeked help.

If we allowed more people to be vocal about this issue and understood that they're not all out there to become a paedophile, we might actually start to fix it.

[Empired]

Yep, if the person has paedophilia but not acted then they have done nothing wrong. Reminds me of that documentary on channel 4, a guy with paedophilia openly spoke about it, how he refused to act on it but couldn't help how he felt, thus he seeked help.

If we allowed more people to be vocal about this issue and understood that they're not all out there to become a paedophile, we might actually start to fix it.

But at the same time as a parent (hypothetically x) wouldn't you be worried about letting your kids near them? By allowing them to keep quiet about their urges we are potentially letting people with paedophilia into schools, playgroups and all sorts of places without anyone ever knowing.

[Sian]

But at the same time as a parent (hypothetically x) wouldn't you be worried about letting your kids near them? By allowing them to keep quiet about their urges we are potentially letting people with paedophilia into schools, playgroups and all sorts of places without anyone ever knowing.

Parents will always worry about everything. It's a difficult argument though, should we be allowing them near temptation? I hope that they themselves would do what they could to avoid jobs around children at least and we could regulate it but that could end up being like the government regulating those with thoughts about murdering people.

My initial argument is mainly about if the person comes forward for help and that we should acknowledge that most don't want to be paedophiles. It's difficult.

[lRhyss]

If someone hasn't committed a crime they're not a criminal and can't be charged as one, simple. Thinking about robbing a house isn't an offence

But what if (Said out loud)

"I'm going to rob a house"

"I'm going to fiddle a kiddy"

Doesn't sound right