I decided to post this as an OP, due to this DU poll we currently have in GD:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=922727&mesg_id=922727This is a controversial topic. I am curious to what degree a civil discussion about it is possible here.
Here is a link to a power point presentation that seemingly summarizes the scientific consensus on to what degree male adults can find minors attractive, and also to what the degree the general idea that people have of "pedophilia" is wrong.
(I use the word "seemingly", since I have not done any further research, and the contents of the file may be inaccurate or wrong, but it does make the impression of being scientifically sound, references and all. Feel free to add and correct.)
http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=15&ved=0CDwQFjAEOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.b4uact.org%2FMythsAndFacts.ppt&rct=j&q=scientific%20study%20men%20find%20minors%20attractive&ei=k9mtTca_CY2Mswav6t3XDA&usg=AFQjCNEOoPzYqUi2jmCJAurP3G5mhohPdg&cad=rjaSummary:
Most adult males can in principle be sexually attracted to a prepubescent child. This attraction however is subordinate to their attraction to adults (this somewhat contradicts the results of the DU poll). Only an estimated 0.5 percent to 7 percent of adult males are attracted
primarily to children. These are clinically defined as pedophiles.
There isn't sufficient data to make a similar statement about adult women.
Myth 1: Pedophiles molest children.
Most of them don't. Many simply have fantasies of the same kind that other people have about adults, and are aware of the fact that they should never be acted out.
Myth 2: Most child molesters are pedophiles.
Actually pedophiles who molest children are rare. Most child molesters are "regular" rapists who chose children because they are easy targets. The rape itsself, as in other cases where the target is an adult, is more about control than it is about attraction.
Myth 3: Pedophilia is a mental illness.
It appears to be something that is simply hard wired into someones psyche. The same form of "treatments" were tried that were used for homosexuality in the past, and they have proven to be equally ineffective.
....