Looking at Ephebophilia through the Lens of Cleric Sexual Abuse

Abstract

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned John Jay College of Criminal Justice to conduct a national study that was descriptive of the nature and extent of clerical sexual abuse, demographics of offenders and victims, and other factors. Embedded in the report however was clear evidence that the majority of victims were pubescent or post-pubescent males lending support for the need of an additional diagnostic category: ephebophilia. We examine the report concluding there is evidence for the validity of the ephebophilia construct and its differentiation from pedophilia.