Since we began this website and our community, people have reacted with pleasant surprise and gratitude that non-offending pedophiles exist (see for example this video from Sexplanations ).
Others have expressed a lot of suspicion.
In some ways, this is not surprising when previous pedophile ‘movements’ have been about trying to get society’s acceptance for adult/child sex.
We really are different from what has gone before. Below explains why.
No. We believe that sexual activity between adults and children is wrong. Some pedophiles argue it should be accepted, but we think their arguments should be greeted skeptically due to the self-interest involved.
We don’t think adult/child sex will ever be widely accepted in our society.
Public forums in which pedophiles talk have existed for many years. In these forums, it was common for pedophiles to say that adult-child sex is fundamentally OK. Those forums are not going away. But our forum is different.
According to the best available evidence, a pedophile is most likely to abuse a child when they feel desperate and isolated, and that there is nothing to lose.
A forum provides a community to reduce isolation and desperation. The Virtuous Pedophiles forum provides a place where pedophiles can discuss living with their attraction, but with the shared understanding that sexual activity with children is wrong and that we are not trying to make it more acceptable. We believe this kind of conversation can be part of a strategy to reduce the risk of child sex abuse by those who are at risk of doing so.
For those who are not a risk when they show up, it won’t make them a greater risk.
Discussion of anything with erotic content is not allowed, nor is linking to any such material. We will not permit discussion, whatever the topic, that seems to be influencing any individual in the direction of offending.
The founders and leaders of our organization have never touched a child in a sexual manner. We also haven’t ever viewed illegal content of children. We want society to know there are many pedophiles who keep to this standard.
Individuals who have been sexual with children failed to reach that standard in the past. We are distressed by the harm that was caused. We also know that the stigma that law-abiding pedophiles suffer is a judgment on the actions of those who have abused children.
We still believe that people can change for the better. We want to help pedophiles avoid sexual contact with children in the future. That means that past offenders are welcome in our online support group.
To be included, they must be truly committed to a non-offending life. Where we feel we can’t offer strong enough support to past offenders, we will refer them to other organizations.
No. There are no suitable consenting partners for us pedophiles. We can never ethically express our sexuality with the people we are attracted to.
People attracted to adults (whether straight, gay, bi or other) have a chance to find adult partners and potentially form consensual relationships. We support and celebrate their right to find that happiness. We know it isn’t available to us in the same way and never will be.