Pedophiles are not all the same. Many people believe that pedophiles are attracted to any child of any age or gender. But you likely have preferences and are attracted only to a minority of children you might see.
You may or may not have an interest in adults.
If you are ‘exclusive’, you are only attracted to children and not adults.
If you are ‘non-exclusive’ you are attracted to both children and adults.
Your ‘age of attraction’ describes the ages that you are attracted to.
- Ephebophilia: post-pubescent teenagers
- Hebephilia: pubescent children
- Pedophilia: prepubescent children
- Nepiophilia: infants and babies
Some pedophiles accept and are adjusted to their pedophilia; others struggle with this. Accepting and adjusting to the attraction can reduce distress about it.
Many people assume that ‘accepting your pedophilia’ means thinking adult-child sex is OK. We believe that trying to have sexual contact with children, physically or online, is morally wrong.
Many pedophiles, including us, are non-offending, meaning we have not broken laws around children and sex.