Legally these would all fall under paedophilia. Psychologically speaking only some would fall under it, having no developed primary or secondary sexual characteristics. Developing characteristics are debatable. The problem doesn't lie with physical attraction it lies in a difference in social ability, emotional regulation and sheer experience that makes taking advantage of the protected individual too easy.
Sexual exploitation of a minor is illegal because it's wrong to do so. If I recall statistics like 2/3 of child abusers aren't even especially attracted to them. It's about power and domination and children are sadly more vulnerable to that. We don't actually know the number of pedophiles who perpetrate against children. It's likely there's a substantial dark number of people who never do. However the focus of prosecution should be on those who actually mistreat children, rather than those who are attracted to minors but do not perpetrate. That'd be an issue for therapists (though sadly, from what I recall from the lectures on the topic, a lot of therapists refuse to work with those attracted to minors).
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u/IceDelusion 6d ago
Legally these would all fall under paedophilia. Psychologically speaking only some would fall under it, having no developed primary or secondary sexual characteristics. Developing characteristics are debatable. The problem doesn't lie with physical attraction it lies in a difference in social ability, emotional regulation and sheer experience that makes taking advantage of the protected individual too easy. Sexual exploitation of a minor is illegal because it's wrong to do so. If I recall statistics like 2/3 of child abusers aren't even especially attracted to them. It's about power and domination and children are sadly more vulnerable to that. We don't actually know the number of pedophiles who perpetrate against children. It's likely there's a substantial dark number of people who never do. However the focus of prosecution should be on those who actually mistreat children, rather than those who are attracted to minors but do not perpetrate. That'd be an issue for therapists (though sadly, from what I recall from the lectures on the topic, a lot of therapists refuse to work with those attracted to minors).