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Pedophile or Child Molester?

  

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Generally speaking, the public makes no distinction between a pedophile and a child molester.  Often times the terms are used interchangeable. There are, however, significant differences.

According to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) of the American Psychiatric Association a pedophile is a person who:

• Over a period of at least 6 months experiences recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally 13 years of age or younger).
• The person has acted on these sexual urges or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulties.
• The person is at least 16 years of age and at least 5 years older that the prepubscent child.

A major difference between a pedophile and a child molester is that the primary source of sexual gratification comes from being sexual with prepubscent children.  This is not true of the child molester whose primary source of sexual gratification comes from being sexual with an age appropriate consenting adult.