Pedophilia

As defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), pedophilia (known as pedophilic disorder) is characterized by at least a 6-month period of sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving a prepubescent child or children. The diagnosed individual must have either acted upon such urges, or the urges cause clinically significant distress or interpersonal difficulty. In addition, to be diagnosed, an individual must be of age 16 years or older and at least 5 years older than the child or children involved in sexual activity. This precludes the diagnosis from being applied to teenagers engaging in consensual sex with same-age peers. Specifiers indicate whether or not the diagnosed individual is exclusively attracted to children; to males, females, or both; or if ...