Pedophiles are usually attracted to a particular age range and/or sex of child. Research categorizes male pedophiles by whether they are attracted to only male children (homosexual pedophilia), female children (heterosexual pedophilia), or children from both sexes (bisexual pedophilia). The percentage of homosexual pedophiles ranges from 9% to 40%, which is approximately 4 to 20 times higher than the rate of adult men attracted to other adult men (using a prevalence rate of adult homosexuality of 2%-4%). This finding does not imply that homosexuals are more likely to molest children, just that a larger percentage of pedophiles are homosexual or bisexual in orientation to children. Individuals attracted to females usually prefer children between the ages of 8 and 10 years. Individuals attracted to males usually prefer slightly older boys between the ages of 10 and 13 years.

Another common pedophilic specifier is whether the abused children are limited to family members (ie, inces t). Federal data show that 27% of all sexual offenders assaulted family members. Fifty percent of offenses committed against children younger than 6 years were committed by a family member, as were 42% of acts committed against children 6 to 11 years old and 24% against children 12 to 17 years old. The study by Abel and Harlow found that 68% of "child molesters" had molested a family member; 30% had molested a stepchild, a foster child, or an adopted child; 19% had molested 1 or more of their biologic children; 18% had molested a niece or nephew; and 5% had molested a grandchild. In the study by Abel et al of anonymous nonincarcerated offenders, heterosexual inces t pedophiles had abused 1.8 children and committed 81.3 acts, whereas homosexual inces t pedophiles had abused 1.7 children and committed 62.3 acts.

Nie mam żadnych naukowych potwierdzeń wskazujących na to

Nie mam żadnych naukowych potwierdzeń wskazujących na to, ale nieoficjalne źródła sugerują dramatyczny wzrost takich adopcji.