Thai college teacher and convicted British sex offender dies in Bangkok hospital

Perhaps we should at least get our terms straight.

I’m not a psychologist and am neither competent nor qualified to diagnose psychological disorders, but like most denizens of Internet message boards, I’m not about to allow a lack of formal credentials to prevent me making outrageous unfounded claims with absolute conviction. I did, however, read a few articles on the topic while researching my latest novel, Presumed Guilty.

Stephen David Grant was charged with fifteen counts of “of adult abuse of position of trust – causing or inciting sexual activity with a child aged 13 to 17.”

According to Wikipedia, “Pedophilia or paedophilia is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children, generally age 11 years or younger.” However, some authorities use thirteen as the upper limit.

It would be unfair and inaccurate to call Grant a pedophile. Assuming his actions were precipitated by an underlying psychological disorder or orientation, it is more likely to have been ephebophilia, a sexual preference for post-pubescent teens.

The term pedophile is often used casually to describe any attraction to individuals younger than twenty-one, but pedophilia, hebephilia and ephebophilia are distinct orientations. As many of us teach English, we should try to use correct terminology.

As the father of two young boys, I am concerned about pedophiles; however, I also recognize that pedophilia is a psychological disorder. Nobody knows what causes it, but it usually manifests around puberty. Most pedophiles begin molesting in their early teens. I’m more concerned that my boys could be molested by an older playmate than by a teacher or priest.

As part of my research, I transferred the sex offender registry for the City of Los Angeles into an Excel spreadsheet and ran some statistics. The numbers are distressing. For example, forty-one percent were black and forty-two percent were Hispanic. Either L.A. minorities are much more likely to commit sex offenses or they’re more likely to wind up on the registry due to some form of systematic discrimination. If it’s discrimination, the number of offenders is much higher than the registry would suggest.

Apparently Grant was only thirty-seven. Judging by his photograph, he was a bit stocky, but not morbidly obese. It seems a bit young to drop dead.

"It would be unfair and inaccurate to call Grant a pedophile. Assuming his actions were precipitated by an underlying psychological disorder or orientation, it is more likely to have been ephebophilia, a sexual preference for post-pubescent teens."

I disagree, he was atttracted to younger boys and he knew it was illegal , in Thailand a 14 year old boy can look like a western boy around 11 so he could live out his dirty fantasies here . With a proper background check he would never be allowed to work as a teacher in Thailand. Unfortunately TIT so anyone can work as a teacher , without degrees. If I had kids in Thailand I would be very worried about sending them to schools here

.