A Familiar Corner of the Internet Is Trying to Reframe Pedophilia. Experts Say the Facts Don’t Bend
Far-right personality Megyn Kelly has triggered the latest wave of debate and public outcry surrounding pedophilia. The former Fox News presenter drew criticism with her comments on an episode of her SiriusXM podcast. Talking about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Kelly suggested that his actions shouldn’t be considered pedophilic.
“He wasn’t into, like, 8-year-olds,” Kelly said. “He liked the very young, teen types who could pass for even younger than they were, but would look legal to a passerby.”
Wait, what?
Since her podcast aired online, Kelly has been publicly slammed for her comments. John Olivier called her out on the Last Week Tonight’s November 16 episode. Meanwhile, Wednesday star Christina Ricci described Kelly as “a danger to children.” Various organizations, activists, and internet users have also responded, condemning the presenter’s controversial claims.
However, not everybody disagrees with Kelly
Many have spoken out against Megyn Kelly and the intent of her comments (to downplay Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes against minors). However, certain organizations and parts of academia support similar stances.
For years, a sector of science and vested interest groups has pushed for the idea of destigmatizing pedophilia. Labels such as “minor-attracted people (MAP)” have emerged and gained force to refer to adults who are sexually attracted to minors. Some of these groups argue that not all pedophiles, or people attracted to children of prepubescent age, are child abusers, nor are all child abusers pedophiles.
The milder positions, which include some scholars and researchers, believe that reducing the stigma attached to pedophilia could encourage pedophiles to seek help. Ultimately, receiving professional support could prevent cases of child abuse perpetrated by pedophiles.
On the other hand, self-serving organizations have campaigned for the decriminalization of pedophilia, claiming that minors are capable of consenting. Others even argue that pedophilia is an unchangeable sexual orientation, “like heterosexuality.”
We know, chilling!
Amid this wave of misinformation, here’s what to know about pedophilia
The World Health Organization defines pedophilia as the “sexual preference for children, boys or girls or both, usually of prepubertal or early pubertal age.”
However, even after years of research and studies, experts don’t seem to find common ground regarding the nature of pedophilia. Throughout the years, science and medicine have described it as an illness, sociopathic condition, sexual deviation, and so on. Today, it is most commonly labeled as a paraphilic disorder.
No one knows what causes people to be attracted to children or minors. Some studies suggest that genetic conditions are responsible and that pedophilia is “incurable.” Others believe that feeling this “attraction” is learned behavior.
While it is true that not all pedophiles are child abusers, acting on attraction is something pedophiles can control. Talking to USA Today, psychologist and author Anna Salter has previously made this distinction. “Pedophiles may not have control over the fact that they are attracted to kids, but they are responsible for whether they do or don’t act on it.”
She added, “It’s a choice to act on child molestation.”
Here’s what’s not debatable
Following Megyn Kelly’s comments on her namesake show, fringe subsets on the internet have attempted to delve into the semantics of pedophilia and other sexual paraphilias involving minors. Her supporters have taken to social media to “justify” Kelly’s words. They believe that the distinction between pedophilia and hebephilia, which is the sexual preference for minors in early adolescence, is relevant.
It is not. Being involved in any type of sexual misconduct or abuse against minors is a crime. Point simple.
According to UNICEF, 1 in 8 girls and women (more than 370 million globally) has experienced rape or sexual assault in childhood. The statistics for men are about 1 in 11 boys and men (about 240 to 310 million males).
There is no valid softening or “reframing” of this reality. So, no, Megyn Kelly. There is no justification for child sexual abuse.
