Hebephilia

Hebephilia means when grown-ups feel strong and ongoing sexual attraction to children who are starting to go through changes in their bodies (puberty).^[1] These children are usually between 11 and 14 years old, and their bodies are growing but not fully developed.^[2] Hebephilia is different from pedophilia, which is a sexual attraction to younger children who have not started puberty, and different from ephebophilia, which is an attraction to older teenagers aged 15 to 18.^[3][4]

The ages for hebephilia are not exact because puberty starts and ends at different times for different children.^[1] Most girls begin puberty around age 10 or 11, and most boys start around 11 or 12.^[5] Because of this, some definitions mix the ages of pedophilia, hebephilia, and ephebophilia.^[2] For example, some medical guides, like the DSM-5, say prepubescent ages can go up to 13, and others, like the ICD-10, include early puberty in the meaning of pedophilia.^[1]

Some experts believe it is important to separate sexual attraction to children before puberty from attraction to children in early or mid-puberty.^[2][3] A study led by Ray Blanchard in 2009 showed that men who committed sex crimes could be grouped by the ages of the children they preferred, using a test that measures arousal.^[3] Blanchard suggested the DSM-5 should split pedophilia into narrower parts, including hebephilia.^[6] However, this idea was debated and not accepted. Many researchers disagree on whether hebephilia should be considered a mental disorder or a type of paraphilia.^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Phenix, Amy; Hoberman, Harry Mark, eds. (2016). Sexual Offending: Predisposing Antecedents, Assessments and Management. SpringerLink Bücher. New York, NY s.l: Springer New York. ISBN 978-1-4939-2416-5.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Prentky, Robert; Barbaree, Howard (2011-12-01). "Commentary: Hebephilia—A Would-be Paraphilia Caught in the Twilight Zone Between Prepubescence and Adulthood". Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online. 39 (4): 506–510. ISSN 1093-6793. PMID 22159978.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Blanchard, Ray; Lykins, Amy D.; Wherrett, Diane; Kuban, Michael E.; Cantor, James M.; Blak, Thomas; Dickey, Robert; Klassen, Philip E. (2009-06-01). "Pedophilia, Hebephilia, and the DSM-V". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 38 (3): 335–350. doi:10.1007/s10508-008-9399-9. ISSN 1573-2800. PMID 18686026.
4. ↑ Moser, Charles (2009-06-01). "When Is an Unusual Sexual Interest a Mental Disorder?". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 38 (3): 323–325. doi:10.1007/s10508-008-9436-8. ISSN 1573-2800. PMID 18946730.
5. ↑ Kail, Robert V.; Cavanaugh, John C. (2013). Human Development. Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-111-83554-5.
6. ↑ Wakefield, Jerome C. (2012-06-01). "The DSM-5's Proposed New Categories of Sexual Disorder: The Problem of False Positives in Sexual Diagnosis". Clinical Social Work Journal. 40 (2): 213–223. doi:10.1007/s10615-011-0353-2. ISSN 1573-3343.