Pedophilia is one of the top crimes in the United States. There are over 400,000 sex offenders in the United States and over half are missing. Pedophilia is classified as a mental disorder, it includes having sexual feelings towards young children. The American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders defines pedophilia as a “recurrent sexually arousing fantasies, impulsive desires, or behaviors involving sexual acts with children” (“Inside the Mind of a Pedophile”). When the word “pedophile” comes to mind, most people think of a male. Many people have never thought about female pedophilia, which is very rare. Females who expose pedophilia could have suffered from being abused from their past. Often times when someone thinks of pedophilia, they think of it being a crime. According to Margo Kaplan, pedophilia is “a disorder that causes a person “marked distress or interpersonal difficulty” or if the person acts on their own interest” (“Pedophilia: A Disorder, Not a Crime”). But most people would disagree and say that pedophilia is a crime because they see the pedophiles as monsters and when pedophiles are sent to prison, people see that and think they are criminals and that pedophilia is a crime and that they deserve time in prison. Also, …show more content…
“Treatment is effective only if the patient with pedophilia is motivated and committed to controlling his or her behavior” (“Pessimism About Pedophilia”). The two most common treatments that are used are psychotherapy and drug treatment. Psychotherapy is types of therapy that can make the pedophile overcome their rationalizations. Drug treatment can help decrease the need for a sexual desire. The therapy can help one to control their behavior by strengthening their motivation, also the therapy helps work on their own problems of self-worth, and it can obtain the ability to control sexual impulses by coping with