Few things are as likely to generate revulsion in society as pedophilia . But in order to protect children, we need a better scientific understanding of what causes this disorder. Applying the label ‘ paedophile ’ indiscriminately risks obscuring the complexity of child sexual abuse. An understanding of child sexual abuse, based on the available evidence, is critical if abuse is to be prevented and responded to in effective ways. We focus on some of the recent theories on the etiology of pedophilia such as the concept of a general neurodevelopmental disorder and/or alterations of structure and function in frontal, temporal, and limbic brain areas. These people are living with pedophilia , a recurrent and intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with children, mostly of age 13 years or less. It's a mental illness, and like most people, they have no control over their sexual preferences.
