# Scientific theories re: causes of pedophilia?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-theories-re-causes-of-pedophilia/791215>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 14, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-theories-re-causes-of-pedophilia/791215 "2017-07-14T04:53:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-theories-re-causes-of-pedophilia/791215/41 "2017-07-16T18:03:19Z")

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> [@cwthree](#):
>
> They finally get caught. That’s what happens.

I’m sure that’s very true in some cases but not in all.

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**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-theories-re-causes-of-pedophilia/791215/42 "2017-07-17T01:40:04Z")

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> [@astorian](#):
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> What if, just what if… It turns out pedophiles were “born this way?”

:smack:

Like Ted Bundy, or Donald Harvey etc?

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-theories-re-causes-of-pedophilia/791215/43 "2017-07-17T02:41:35Z")

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> [@astorian](#):
>
> What if, just what if… It turns out pedophiles were “born this way?”

Then that sucks for them, and we need better treatments so they can keep their urges in check.

Its not really comparable to gay people. Gay people are consenting adults, child molesters are not dealing with consenting adults.

Also some people are born with genetic predispositions to violent behavior, but that doesn’t mean we should give them free reign to be violent.

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**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-theories-re-causes-of-pedophilia/791215/44 "2017-07-17T03:11:58Z")

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> [@md2000](#):
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> AFAIK there is no evidence of any inheritance in homosexuality, another instance of a misdirected sex drive. (not equating the two, just pointing out the common situation of misdirection). It can and does apparently happen at random and is part of the brain pattern. Presumably it’s developmental randomness?

How many women(mothers, aunts, sisters etc. have ever looked at a baby boy in the family and not said “Awe…” and made fun of his little penis? BE HONEST!

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