Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Pedophilia is Not Disordered?!?

In 1994, with little or nor public outcry, the American Psychiatric Association revised its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) so that neither pedophilia nor child molestation would, in itself, necessarily be indicative of psychological disorder.  To qualify as disordered, molesters must feel “anxious” about the acts or be “impaired” in their work or social relationships.  With little media reporting, and even less critical response from the psychological or psychiatric community, the American Psychiatric Association thus took the first step in changing perceptions of what have traditionally been regarded as among the most serious offenses in our society.


Anne Hendershott, The Politics of Deviance, p.91

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