Technically, hebephilia is not a mental illness according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), and it has no association with pedophilia despite what the mainstream media and press may mislead the public to believe. It's no question that this man in the above article was no saint and that his actions deserved retribution from the law. However, it would still not merit the American Psychiatric Association to reclassify hebephilia as a paraphilia and mental disorder in the same manner that pedophilia is classified. There would be way too many downsides to it. Dr. Ray Blanchard tried to do so back in 2013, but the American Psychiatric Association (APA) rejected his attempt and for very good reasons. Doing so would be as illogical as branding every Salvadorian to be an MS-13 gang member.
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