Introduction
Hebephilia is the sexual interest of the people in children between 11 and 14 years. Hebephilia is different from pedophilia and ephebophilia. Pedophilia is the sexual preference of adults in prepubescent children, and ephebophilia is in later adolescence. People like kids who are close to puberty and have not started puberty. The puberty age varies in girls and boys. In boys, puberty starts at the age of 10 and 11. In boys, puberty begins at the age of 12 to 14 years. In American Caucasians, the average age of puberty is 11 years. Hebephilia is not a mental disorder but a type of sexual preference. Glueck and Hammer described the term hebephilia in 1955. In 1906 Magnus Hirschfeld differed in ephebophilia from hebephilia. Paul Benedict distinguishes hebephilia from pedophilia. The condition can be determined and diagnosed. But many studies revealed that the situation is challenging to diagnose. Most of the hebephilia victims are females. The article discusses hebephilia, its causes, symptoms, categories, risk factors, and treatment.
What Is Hebephilia?
Hebephilia is derived from the Greek word hebe, which refers to the age group, and philia implies love. Therefore, Hebephilia is the sexual interest of the adults in the children who have not started puberty.
What Are the Causes of Hebephilia?
Many researchers have researched the cause of hebephilia through IQ, brain structure, educational level, and other physical development characteristics. The sexual offenders differ from other men in personality characteristics, elevated rate of right-handedness, and physically shorter. Celibacy is the other cause of hebephilia. Celibacy means the person is unhappy with married sex life, or it may be in unmarried people with more sexual desire.
What Are the Risk Factors for Hebephilia?
People with a history of sexual abuse in childhood, if the assault went undefined, unnoticed, or untreated, is a risk factor for hebephilia. People with a history of sexual abuse are not sex offenders, and those who undergo sexual assault are not sex abusers.
How Can Hemophilia Be Categorized?
It is a significant debate that hebephilia is a mental disorder. However, the legal system highly misuses the condition's risk. Some people argue that the sexual attraction issue in teenagers and pubescent is uncommon. In some cultures, children are encouraged to marry at a younger age. Therefore, some suggest that sexual attraction in teenagers is not a mental disorder but a crime, and the person must be punished for the crime. Some argue that they have broken the law and the person is unsafe for society. Therefore, the person needs to be sent to a mental hospital.
The diagnostic statistical mental or manual disorders involve people who experience sexual attraction for six or more months. The child who uses pornography is found to be sexually stimulated. The adult must be 18 years old for a sexual interest.
What Are the Signs of Sexual Assault?
The child at age 11 to 14 are at risk for sexual assault. Therefore, it is essential to teach the children that if someone is touching them or trying something, they should immediately tell their parents. However, sometimes it is harder to teach children because they are having pleasure during the act or they feel guilt for the sexual assault. The signs of sexual assault are as follows:
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Sleep disturbances.
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Nightmares.
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Suicide attempts.
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Isolation from family and friends.
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Nervousness.
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Angry outbursts.
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Low self-confidence.
What Are the Symptoms of Hebephilia?
The symptoms of hebephilia are as follows:
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Children between the age of 11 to 14 have a solid sexual preference.
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Watching pornography, sex videos, and reading sex stories in pubescent children.
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People who spend time thinking about pubescent children.
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Sexual fantasies and sexual stimulation in pubescent children.
How Can Sexual Assault Survivors Be Helped?
“Me too” movement is more common nowadays. The condition is well known about the campaign. Many celebrities and people expose their sexual assault or sexual misbehavior to them through the “me too” movement. Sexual assault has become more severe due to society. Parents need to talk to their kids about the condition so that they can talk freely with friends and parents and build self-confidence.
How Is Hebephilia Different From Pedophilia?
Many people think that the sexual preference of adults in young children before puberty is a crime. However, people who have undergone puberty can reproduce reproductive behavior. Therefore, it is a strong indicator of fertility. Pedophilia is a sexual interest of adults in children who completed puberty.
The healthcare provider needs to provide appropriate healthcare to sexual assault survivors. The therapist and psychotherapist may do counseling of such persons to relieve the physical and mental trauma.
What Is the Legal Criticism of Classifying Hebephilia as a Mental Disorder?
Hebephilia, rape, and hypersexuality are the three sexual crimes proposed to be included in diagnostic and statistical mental disorders. However, some mental health professionals have rejected the suggestions. If hebephilia is included in the mental illness, the criminal should be sent to a mental hospital rather than prison.
How Can Hebephilia Be Treated?
The condition cannot be diagnosed, but many researchers suggested that the treatment of hebephilia is available. The person who committed this crime should be charged in court. Healthcare professionals organize preventive campaigns for children who experience sexual attraction so that shame and guilt can come out to avoid sexual urges. Unfortunately, there is no proper treatment protocol proposed by the researchers. But the treatment methods include:
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Behavioral therapy.
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Drug therapy.
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Group therapy.
The person with hebephilia does not require treatment until they are forced to commit the sexual crime. Sex education and awareness among people may help them to prevent assault. If the individual is sexually assaulted, the healthcare provider must counsel the person.
Conclusion
Hebephilia is a sexual interest of the adult in children between 11 to 14 years. Some researchers suggest that the condition is a mental disorder, and at some point, it is a crime. If it is a mental disorder, then the sexual offender needs to be sent to a mental hospital, and if it is a crime, then they must be sent to the criminal court system. The victim can be either male or female. The signs and symptoms include depression, anxiety, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and low self-confidence. Sex education and awareness among people decrease crime. In addition, communication between parents and their kids may prevent the problem.
