Reconceptualizing de-stigmatization : a content analysis of the term ‘Minor-attracted person(s)’ on the internet forum reddit

Abstract

The term “non-offending pedophile” describes persons who, while sexually attracted to children, have not committed, a sexual offence against a minor (Cantor & McPhail, 2016). the term minor-attracted person (MAP) grounded in recognition and personhood was implemented by psychologists to aid in the de-stigmatization of these non-offenders. A content analysis was performed to assess the perception of how users of Reddit perceived the term minor-attracted person. The analysis explores how the perception of the term minor-attracted person specifically regarding personhood, monstrosity, and the notion of the public self through a precarious and post-structuralist informed lens. The results demonstrated negative perceptions of the term MAP, based on high levels of stigma and low levels of personhood. Reddit users perceived the term minor-attracted person to be more stigmatizing, expressing the view that the term minor-attracted person is an attempt to hide and mask the true monstrous identities.