Pedophilia is a paraphilia in which an individual is sexually aroused or has a sexual interest in prepubescent children. It is often categorized as a psychological disorder. The DSM-V characterizes it as a "paraphilic disorder" along with seven other conditions.
Pedophilia is a controversial topic because many people assume that a pedophile is another name for child molester. It is important to note that many pedophiles never act upon their urges. Therefore, not all pedophiles are child molesters. Like all paraphilias, pedophilia is classified as a paraphilia due to its negative impacts on the quality of life of the pedophile and the harm they can cause to children if they act out their fantasies.
