Myth 4: Pedophiles are always adults.

Facts:

• One researcher has found evidence that pedophilia may be predetermined before puberty.¹³
• Criminological literature shows that some juvenile sex offenders are preferentially attracted to prepubescent children.¹⁴

Researchers write:

Jay Feierman, Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico:

Materials, as well as interested and compassionate professionals and nonprofessionals, are available to an adolescent or a young-adult male who is personally dealing with his homosexuality. These resources simply are not available in most Western industrialized societies for an adolescent or a young-adult male who is dealing with a preferential sexual attraction to children or younger adolescents.¹⁵

• For more information, see the section on this site about youth issues.