Pedophiles have different starting points and end with differing beliefs and behaviours. What do we know about why?

Bly Rede is a co-director of Virtuous Pedophiles. Blog posts reflect his personal views, and are not statements from the organisation.

How does a 'regular pedophile' become an anti-contact or pro-contact pedophile? How do some become abusers and yet others never abuse?

Nobody knows the exact answer, but it's interesting to consider the process. I can only explain my experience as someone who was initially >

> pro-contact as a very young man, then became anti-contact later.

When first I fantasised about kids, I was a kid myself. The fantasies did not seem unnatural or immoral, nor did I classify them as pedophilic.

They seemed nice, positive and intuitive. It was only after a >

> while, when I was significantly older than the subjects of the fantasies, that I became aware they *were* pedophilia, and named them as such in my head.

Even then, I could not easily see how such pleasant-seeming thoughts were quite the same as what society condemned in the >

> strongest, most violent ways. To work out why there is that contradiction I had to become aware of all the social hypocrisy and unthinking taboo that surrounds pedophilia - something that very few other people ever have to engage with.

At the same time I had to figure out >

> what *is* a rational, evidence-based belief to have about it.

At the same time I had to become aware that my own mind wanted to sort of trick me into believing that sexual contact would be OK.

This is not easy to negotiate.

Over time, I had to struggle to accept two things: >

> (a) The fantasies in my mind, despite seeming perfect and pure and wonderful, actually would not be in real life (not easy to realise this at 17 with no sexual experience).

(b) Everyone is naturally inclined to do and influence things in the real world so that what they want >

> comes true. 'Normal' people attempt to make their sexual fantasies a reality. A pedophile has to become aware of that instinct-to-act and second-guess himself to prevent something bad from happening.

Pedophiles who can't accept (a) become pro-contact. Pedophiles who can't >

> accept (b) are at risk of offending.

Sometimes they fail to accept it either because they would rather get the thing they want instead of struggle against themselves, or they go into denial: "I would never ever hurt a kid" and as a result miscalculate their risk level. >

> Accepting both of those things can't happen overnight. I accepted them intellectually a long time before I was able to feel them emotionally.

It takes time, and sometimes intervention, to get there. I was lucky. I have had the benefit of both.

Not everyone is as lucky as me. >

> But that was all in the eighties and nineties. In those days, you either discovered the pro-contact folk or kept away from all other pedophiles (I opted for the latter).

Nowadays there are @virpeds, @StopSO_UK, @Prostasiainc, @Preventionintvn and others. There is hope now.

This content was removed from Twitter in 2020 because the author's account was suspended.

the p word is a collection of 285 articles, blogs, podcasts and threads in the voices of pedophiles and others who oppose adult child sexual contact and sexual exploitation of children. Despite our mainstream views, this content is frequently removed from mainstream social media or blog sites because openly discussing pedophile attractions or avowing them are not tolerated. Our side of the conversation continues here.

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thread: i'm gay but not in lgbt+

thread: where do anti-contacts come from?

review: lamb - the movie and book

bly rede

No, we don't want to join LGBT+, but some of us are lesbian, gay, trans and/or one of the other letters.

bly rede

Thanks to the label anti-contact there is a new way for pedophiles to identify.

ethan edwards

Although I believe the law is too blunt an instrument to properly intervene in non-sexual friendships between men and children, Lamb shows the emotional dangers.

No, we don't want to join LGBT+, but some of us are lesbian, gay, trans and/or one of the other letters.

Thanks to the label anti-contact there is a new way for pedophiles to identify.

Although I believe the law is too blunt an instrument to properly intervene in non-sexual friendships between men and children, Lamb shows the emotional dangers.