TY - JOUR

T1 - When virtuous paedophiles meet online

T2 - A sociological study of a paedophile community

AU - Nielsen, Marie H

AU - Aaskov, Line

AU - Larsen, Jørgen E

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - On the online forum Virtuous Paedophiles, experiences of being sexually attracted to children are discussed based on the belief that ‘adult-child sex’ is wrong. Having explored the forum’s culture of support, advice, and negotiations, we find that the stigmatised paedophile character limits both the understanding of being a paedophile and the ability to remain virtuous. Additionally, ideas about the paedophile character allow the formation of a counter discourse: the virtuous paedophile character. We argue that the justifications used in the forum differ from those in pro-contact communities and that the forum can help paedophiles be offense-free.

AB - On the online forum Virtuous Paedophiles, experiences of being sexually attracted to children are discussed based on the belief that ‘adult-child sex’ is wrong. Having explored the forum’s culture of support, advice, and negotiations, we find that the stigmatised paedophile character limits both the understanding of being a paedophile and the ability to remain virtuous. Additionally, ideas about the paedophile character allow the formation of a counter discourse: the virtuous paedophile character. We argue that the justifications used in the forum differ from those in pro-contact communities and that the forum can help paedophiles be offense-free.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - stigma

KW - paedophile

KW - virtuous

KW - non-offending

KW - online community

U2 - 10.1177/1363460720979306

DO - 10.1177/1363460720979306

M3 - Journal article

VL - 25

SP - 598

EP - 614

JO - Sexualities

JF - Sexualities

SN - 1363-4607

IS - 5-6

ER -