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L'UE se prpare voter l'Omnibus europen sur les pesticides : l'un des pires reculs jamais connus en matire de rglementation. La communaut scientifique ne cesse pourtant d'alerter sur les atteintes irrversibles des pesticides la biodiversit, ainsi que leur rle dans l'augmentation de nombreuses pathologies.

Pedophilia is Not a Behavior

Its easy to tell when a bit of science about pedophilia is brought out to the general public. There is usually a rash of negative memes. Usually its implied, by agreeing with the emerging science, the writers or researchers are condoning the sexual abuse of children.

Recently, , a highly respected and published researcher who focuses on the study of pedophilia, appeared on an  

He shared his research, which involves brain scans and neuroscience and shows the fascinating differences people have in their brain structures. Furthermore, it suggests people with pedophilia are born with this attraction. Therefore, its not something they can change.

What is Pedophilia

Enter the memes and where I get on my soapbox and continue to spout science and education.

I have written about this topic before because it is something that I feel strongly about. I feel very strongly about it being accurately portrayed in the lay community.

Pedophilia is a sexual arousal to a person who is prepubescent the age is not the important thing. However, what is important is the attraction is to a childs body that has NOT started the physiological changes associated with puberty. 

If a person is attracted to pubescent or post pubescent children, that is considered hebephilia. 

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What isnt Pedophilia

Pedophilia is NOT a behavior. 

I believe that this is one of the most common myths in the non-scientific community. 

Pedophilia is an attraction. Actions are behavior. 

The frequently cited concern is that every person who has a pedophilic arousal template is a child molester. 

Not true. 

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Why do People Offend Against Children

Some people sexually abuse children because they are attracted to them. 

Some people sexually abuse children for reasons that dont have much to do with sexual attraction. 

For example: issues of power and control, distorted thinking, emotionally connecting with children in an inappropriate manner that becomes sexualized. 

Some people who are attracted to children never engage in any sexual contact with them, nor do they view images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

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Why am I Lecturing About Pedophiles

Why do I think its important

When you get it wrong, when the press gets it wrong, it damages prevention efforts. 

Every person who is attracted to children, whether they have offended or not, knows how society feels about them. 

Most carry an immense amount of toxic shame. This shame keeps them from coming forward to seek help from trained professionals. Sadly, there are treatment professionals who also engage in this stigma. 

We fail to protect children every time a Minor Attracted Person feels they cant seek treatment. 

We need to do a better job protecting children as a society. Therefore, treatment needs to be accessible for those who have not offended.

Learn more about Primary Prevention and its benefits in these articles:

Primary Prevention vs. Secondary Prevention of Pedophilia

The United States does a good job of secondary prevention. 

Once we know you have offended and found guilty, you are mandated to treatment to prevent another offense. We try really hard to make sure you dont offend AGAIN.  We focus on decreasing recidivism, but it misses the mark.

I would much prefer to live in a world where there are no more first victims, not just no more subsequent victims. 

Pedophilia ChildMolestation

Pedophilia is anattraction.

Child molestation is abehavior. 

They are not synonymous.

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The Arrogance of Space - Jakarta, Indonesia
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Do Minor Attracted Persons Make Your Skin Crawl

What are Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs) Lets talk about the things that make us uncomfortable and learn in the process.

There were many research presentations this year at the ATSA conference relating to MAPs.

This was great to see! From a scientific perspective, we just dont know much about the MAP community. Therefore, we dont know about their needs or how to help those who seek it. 

What are Minor Attracted Persons

Very few people are aware of the term. MAP is the acronym for a Minor Attracted Persons.

As a therapist I need to be specific, although the media tends to lump everyone into a single category.

The Minor Attracted Persons Debate

There are some people who do not like the Minor Attracted Persons (MAP) moniker. 

I have heard these arguments from people in both research and supervision. The argument loosely goes like this:

The MAP label is not descriptive enough. 

It lumps all minors together and does not distinguish between prepubescent, pubescent, and post-pubescent attraction.

I understand these arguments when it comes to research. There is not enough scientific research in the community looking at any type of attraction to minors. 

To lump pedophilia and hebephilia together for research purposes assumes that there are no differences between people who have these attractions.

While this may be the case, due to lack of research, we just dont know. It is better to look at these groups separately until we can definitively say they are similar enough to put in the same research subject category.

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Treatment Providers

I am neither a MAP, nor a researcher. I am a treatment provider.

If someone has engaged in sexual offenses, its imperative to know their arousal template. It allows us to help them manage unwanted or illegal behavior.

However, I will argue, once weve made the diagnosis, we no longer need to continue to use the pedophile language, particularly with our clients.

Why do we need a different term

I am going to make an assumption, based on my work with clients, that the main reason to use the term Minor Attracted Persons is due to shame and stigma. 

The general public, fueled by sensationalist media, equate pedophile with child molester. 

There is an assumption made that someone who is attracted to children either has or will eventually sexually offend with a child. 

Bluntly, this is not true. Attraction is not a behavior. 

While pedophilia and sexual offending are related, they are not synonymous. The label of pedophile is stigmatizing. There is no way around that truth.

Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research Or maybe youre looking for continuing education courses

Shame, Stigma, and Minor Attracted Persons

I recently learned of the work of Braithwaite (1989) and how this researcher classified shame. 

Braithwaite argued that there were two types of shame, reintegrative and disintegrative: 

Reintegrative shaming is temporary, used to communicate censure to an individual, but ultimately aimed at correcting a persons behavior and, for offenders, reintegrating them back into the community. Disintegrative shaming is a more permanent and reoccurring shame, resulting in a master status that encourages stigmatization and breaks the bond between the person and the community (Bailey & Klein, 2018) 

I learned of this work when researching the effects of the sex offender registry on the people who have to register.

Reducing Shame as Primary Prevention

In the publics eyes attraction to children equals child molesting. Therefore, those who are attracted to children get put in this category without ever hurting anyone.

If they come forward for treatment or talk about their attraction to family or friends they can face the disintegrative shame that encourages stigmatization.

Research Relating to Minor Attracted Persons

Levenson and Grady (2019) recently published work where they spoke to MAPs about their experiences. Specifically, this study looked at people seeking help for their attraction. 

The subjects of this study reported that they often felt isolated and alone with their feelings. 

They also experienced feelings of shame, fear and expected to be misunderstood by people, including therapists. 

Particularly distressing was finding that therapists wanted to cure the minor attraction. However, the client wanted to work on concerns such as depression or loneliness and not specifically their minor attraction.

Learn more about Primary Prevention and its benefits in these articles:

Back to the Beginning: Why Terminology Matters

From a person centered, trauma informed perspective, we should be using appropriate terms rather than potentially increasing shame and isolation.

From a public education standpoint, I would like to see the term de-coupled from people who sexually offend against children.

Misuse of the term pedophile is one of my soap boxes. I will forever argue about semantics and how the word is used. Im tired of the media misusing the word and equating it to child sexual abuse. 

I challenge you to think about these issues for yourself: 

Can you accept that some people are attracted to children 

Can you accept that its not a choice

Will you decry the assumption that every person who is attracted to children is going to offend

To end, I will leave youwith something heard more than frequently in graduate school.

Correlation is not causation.

References: Bailey, D.J.S. & Klein, J.L. (2018). Ashamed and Alone: Comparing offender and family member experiences with the sex offender registry. Criminal Justice Review, 43(4), 440-457. Braithwaite, J. (1989).  Crime, Shame and Reintegration.  Cambridge, England, Cambridge University. Levinson, J.S. & Grady, M.D. (2019).  Preventing sexual abuse:  Perspectives of Minor Attracted Persons About Seeking Help.  Sexual Abuse, 31(8), 991-1013.

Are you looking for more reputable data-backed information on sexual addiction The is an excellent source for executive summaries of research studies.

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You Are Not a Monster: Review of A Long Dark Shadow

As a member of the professional community that works with Minor Attracted Persons as well as individuals who have committed sex crimes, I was immediately aware of the surrounding Dr. Allyn Walker and the publication of their book . 

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Dr. Walker is a professor and researcher who focuses on various aspects of human sexuality. The book is the result of a qualitative study they did using interviews of individuals in the MAP community. This research was done in a completely appropriate and professional manner with the full support of their academic institution.

Fallout from A Long Dark Shadow

After an interview discussing the book, Dr. Walker became the subject (or victim) of social media. There was immediate pushback from people at their university stating that they were promoting child abuse or other similar complaints. 

The comments went crazy. 

This initially resulted in the university placing them on leave. I imagine the hope was that the fervor would die down. Dr. Walker ultimately resigned from their position based on the harassment and death threats they were receiving. 

All of this for what  People, who had not read the book, getting upset by assumptions. 

People misconstruing Dr. Walkers statements, which clearly stated that sexual abuse of children is abhorrent and unacceptable, as being supportive of sexual offending. It is because of this controversy that I immediately purchased the book. The topic is of interest but my main motivation for purchase was to support Dr. Walker.

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My Review

I will start this review by saying that if I were ever to write a book about minor attraction, this is the book I would write. 

The first thing I felt upon reading it was a great sense of validation. 

Yes! 

There are other psychology professionals in the world who understand that pedophilia sexual offending. There are other psychology professionals willing to spread the word. 

I am an adjunct professor for a local graduate program as well as an instructor of a law enforcement polygraphy school. 

Everyone who has ever had a class with me leaves (hopefully) with a clear understanding of the differences between attraction and behavior and that pedophilia is a sexual attraction and not a behavior AND that there are plenty of people in the world who are attracted to children who never commit a sexual offense. 

The Real Research Behind A Long Dark Shadow

The book is based on Dr. Walkers research which involved extensive interviews with people who identify as minor attracted. These individuals were brave enough to come forward to a psychology professional, who they often duly distrust, to share their stories. The chapters focus on many aspects of living with a minor attraction.

The first chapter discusses identity formation. MAPS themselves often share the negative views held by society about minor attraction and struggle to integrate their own sexual interest into their identity. Many of them questioning, Am I a Monster which is a question I have heard in my office many times.

The book continues to address the effect of societal shame on MAPS.

Many people, due to stigma, feel that they have to live a dual life and never disclose their minor attraction. They fear rejection from family, partners, loved ones, friends and society at large. Unfortunately, this fear is not unfounded as many also do experience that rejection. 

Often this living a dual life can lead to depression, anxiety, or even suicidal thoughts for some. 

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Strategies for Coping

Subsequent chapters deal with the strategies they use to cope with their own attractions as well as to refrain from sexual offending. Many MAPS acknowledge an attraction to children but do not have a desire to physically act on those attractions. This goes against a societal assumption. As the book states, we dont assume all adult attracted people are walking around actively thinking about raping other adults so why do we think this about minor attracted people 

However, the reality cannot be ignored that some MAPS do, in fact, not resist these urges and sexually abuse children. The book also discusses what strategies some of the individuals use to avoid engaging in any type of contact sexual offense. 

Medical Professional Reactions

Another book chapter discusses MAPs experiences with mental health professionals. 

This chapter is upsetting to me as a mental health professional but an expression of reality. People avoid seeking therapy to help cope with the attraction, stigma, shame, or other mental health issues around the minor attraction for many reasons. 

They fear, rightly, that many therapists will have a negative reaction to their disclosure and will refuse to treat them. They often fear that a therapist will make an unwarranted call to children and youth, or the police based on the disclosure of an attraction, not based on any behavior. While some might think this is farfetched, I have experienced this in my own practice, hearing of other therapists thinking they need to make a mandatory report when a client says they have an attraction to minors but never disclosed any behavior in that direction. 

A final concern for some MAPS that keeps them from treatment is the fear that a therapist might try to engage in a sexual orientation change experience. Basically, the minor attraction equivalent of conversion therapy. We know that we cannot change sexual attractions, and many consider SOCE to be inhumane or unethical. 

Learn more about Primary Prevention and its benefits in these articles:

Final Thoughts

The plea to reduce stigma against individuals who are attracted to minors is twofold. 

The one that comes to mind first for many is to help with primary prevention. For those MAPS who do struggle with urges to act on their desires, providing safe spaces to work through these urges and work on resilience techniques can help keep a child safe as well as keep the person from engaging in a behavior that everyone knows is not appropriate. 

The main reason to reduce stigma, particularly by therapists, is that MAPs are people. 

They are just as deserving of a safe place to work through their issues with depression, anxiety, stigma, grief, and loss, etc. as the rest of us. They deserve a safe space and a nonjudgmental professional to work with that can help them improve their general health and wellbeing. 

If you have an interest in this topic, I strongly urge you to read this book. I will be incorporating it into our treatment program for those individuals who are minor attracted. 

I dont want to make this disclaimer but given the nature of our world and the internet, I feel that I need to say that supporting Dr. Walker, this book, and the reduction of stigma against minor attraction in no way supports harming children. 

It actually supports working to prevent child abuse.

This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with .

Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control Then you should .

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Last updated: 2026-09-22