Misperception 1: All child sex offenders are paedophiles
The terms ‘paedophile’ and ‘child sex offender’ are often used interchangeably (Nellis 2009). It is important to understand, however, that the two terms have different meanings; not all child sex offenders are paedophiles and conversely, not all paedophiles are child sex offenders.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (APA 1994: 572) uses the following criteria to diagnose paedophilia:
Over a period of at least 6 months, [the person has had] recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally aged 13 years or younger);
The person has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty; and
The person is at least 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children in Criterion A.
The role of opportunity in sexual offending against children
a late onset of offending behaviour (37% were aged 31 to 40 years);
a low incidence of chronic sexual offending (less than one-quarter had previous convictions for sexual offences);
a high incidence of previous non-sexual offending (approximately 60% had convictions for non-sexual offences);
a low incidence of stranger abuse (94% abused their own child or a child they already knew);
a low incidence of networking among offenders (only about 8% had talked to other offenders);
a low incidence of child *advertiser censored* use (approximately 10% had used child *advertiser censored*); and
a low incidence of paraphilic interests (very small proportions could have been diagnosed with other sexually deviant interests such as voyeurism or sexual sadism; Wortley & Smallbone 2006).
Title: Misperceptions about child sex offenders
URL:
http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current series/tandi/421-440/tandi429.html
Website:
http://www.aic.gov.au
Kelly Richards
ISSN 1836-2206
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, September 2011