Changes

The term pedophilia is sometimes incorrectly used in North America and in some other Western countries by public opinion to mean sexual attraction by adults to anyone legally considered minor or under the local [[age of majority]], even one that has reached or passed puberty (sometimes even those who have already passed the local age of majority, basing merely on age difference).<ref>Seto, Michael (2008). Pedophilia and Sexual Offending Against Children. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. p. vii.</ref><ref>Fagan PJ, Wise TN, Schmidt CW, Berlin FS (November 2002). "Pedophilia". JAMA 288 (19): 2458–65. doi:10.1001/jama.288.19.2458. PMID 12435259.</ref> Scientists state incorrect uses like this should be avoided, because it fails to distinguish sexual attraction to prepubescent children from sexual attraction to pubescent or post-pubescent minors and can be an obstacle, steps backwards and a loss of credibility in the fight against pedophilia.<ref>Ames MA, Houston DA (August 1990). "Legal, social, and biological definitions of pedophilia". Arch Sex Behav 19 (4): 333–42. doi:10.1007/BF01541928. PMID 2205170.</ref>

The term pedophilia is sometimes incorrectly used in North America and in some other Western countries by public opinion to mean sexual attraction by adults to anyone legally considered minor or under the local [[age of majority]], even one that has reached or passed puberty (sometimes even those who have already passed the local age of majority, basing merely on age difference).<ref>Seto, Michael (2008). Pedophilia and Sexual Offending Against Children. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. p. vii.</ref><ref>Fagan PJ, Wise TN, Schmidt CW, Berlin FS (November 2002). "Pedophilia". JAMA 288 (19): 2458–65. doi:10.1001/jama.288.19.2458. PMID 12435259.</ref> Scientists state incorrect uses like this should be avoided, because it fails to distinguish sexual attraction to prepubescent children from sexual attraction to pubescent or post-pubescent minors and can be an obstacle, steps backwards and a loss of credibility in the fight against pedophilia.<ref>Ames MA, Houston DA (August 1990). "Legal, social, and biological definitions of pedophilia". Arch Sex Behav 19 (4): 333–42. doi:10.1007/BF01541928. PMID 2205170.</ref>

Although girls typically begin the process of puberty before boys, criteria for pedophilia extend the cut-off point for prepubescence to age 13.<ref>''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Text Revision, 5th Edition''. American Psychiatric Publishing. 2022. pp. 794–796. [[ISBN 978-0-89042-575-6]].</ref> According to DSM-5-TR, a person must be at least 16 years old, and at least five years older than the prepubescent child, for the attraction to be diagnosed as pedophilic disorder.<ref>''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Text Revision, 5th Edition''. American Psychiatric Publishing. 2022. pp. 794–796. [[ISBN 978-0-89042-575-6]].</ref>

Although girls typically begin the process of puberty before boys, criteria for pedophilia extend the cut-off point for prepubescence to age 13.<ref>''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Text Revision, 5th Edition''. American Psychiatric Publishing. 2022. pp. 794–796. [[ISBN 978-0-89042-575-6]].</ref> According to DSM-5-TR, a person must be at least 16 years old, and at least five years older than the prepubescent child, for the attraction to be diagnosed as pedophilic disorder.<ref>''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Text Revision, 5th Edition''. American Psychiatric Publishing. 2022. pp. 794–796. [[ISBN 978-0-89042-575-6]].</ref>