nl_e17

Is pedophilia a mental disorder
[Index Library Two] [Scientific articles] [Newsletter E15]
Is pedophilia a mental disorder?
Discussion in Archives of Sexual Behavior
Report by Frans Gieles
The December 2002 issue is a special about pedophilia.
Richard Green argues for the removal of pedophilia from the DSM, the famous handbook that
defines psychiatric illnesses, among which is pedophilia, albeit under certain conditions.
Gunter Schmidt says that not all pedophiles are per se unscrupulous molesters; instead
pedophiles have a problem of conscience, a moral dilemma, and they deserve respect rather
than condemnation.
There follow peer comments from 21 authors give peer comments, after which Green and
Schmidt reply.
Ipce members should buy and read this special issue.
In this Newsletter, I give the following report.
Green's article
Richard Green was very actively involved thirty years ago in the removal of homosexuality
from the DSM list of mental disorders. As is known, homosexuality was successfully removed
in the early seventies. Now he argues for the removal of pedophilia from the same list.
Green makes a distinction (also made by the Rind team - and by me) between three kinds of
discussions or discourses: the legal one, the moral one, and the medical one. To give my own
examples: starting a war may be legally correct, - IMHO it is morally incorrect - but it is not a
medical illness. Smoking hash or drinking alcohol before a certain age may be legally wrong,
but one might see no moral objections; a doctor might counter-advise it, but it is no illness per
se.
A pedophile who activates his or her desires into action may infringe the law; one may discuss
if it is morally right or wrong, but another kind of question is if her or his is actions are the
outcome of a mental disorder. Moreover: does a pedophile who inhibits her or his behavior
within any legal or moral limits, still have a mental disorder through his feelings per se? No,
says Green.
Green starts by presenting cross-cultural arguments. Intimacy between generations is spread
worldwide among so many cultures and in so many eras, that one cannot reasonably argue that
all those people have a mental disorder. They may have different cultural customs and
opinions. Additionally many primates have these kinds of costoms.
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