Pedophilia, defined as a persistent sexual interest in prepubescent children, is an emotional and controversial topic. For many people, the mention of pedophilia brings images to mind of sexual predators1 who pursue and violate unknown children, although the reality is quite different. The public's perceptions of sexual offenses against children are influenced by media stories focusing on sensational cases that involve child abductions, killings, or individuals with long histories of sexually offending against many children (see Cheit, 2003; Jenkins, 1998). Parents are understandably worried about the safety and well-being of their children, and many others are concerned that children they know might be exploited or harmed by adults. In this preface, I discuss the social, political, and legal contexts for studying pedophilia to provide readers a framework for understanding the social, political, and legal responses to pedophilia and the associated problem of sexual offending against children.

Кл.слова:
педофілія -- розбещення неповнолітніх -- сексуальна експлуатація -- суспільна мораль