Pedophile advocacy groups (alternatively spelled paedophile advocacy groups) are organizations that advocate for the abolishment or lowering of the age of consent and the normalization of adult sexual relations with children.[1][2] Such groups have existed dating back to 1962 in multiple countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands.
In the 20th century, many pro-pedophile groups were founded during the Sexual Revolution.[3] In the United States, pro-pedophile groups such as the Rene Guyon Society have existed since the 1960's. In Britain, the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), led by Tom O'Carroll, has operated from 1974 to 1984 and openly collaborated with other political organizations such as the Albany Trust and the NCCL. In France, many intellectuals sought to lower the age of consent during the 1970's. The Netherlands was once seen as one of the main centers of pedophile activism.
- ^ D’Ovidio, Rob (2009). "Adult-Child Sex Advocacy Websites as Social Learning Environments: A Content Analysis" (PDF). International Journal of Cyber Criminology. 3: 421–440.
- ^ De Young, Mary (1988). "The indignant page: Techniques of neutralization in the publications of pedophile organizations". Child Abuse & Neglect. 12 (4): 583–591. doi:10.1016/0145-2134(88)90076-2. PMID 3233524.
- ^ Paternotte, David (2014), Hekma, Gert; Giami, Alain (eds.), "Pedophilia, Homosexuality and Gay and Lesbian Activism", Sexual Revolutions, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 264–278, doi:10.1057/9781137321466_16, ISBN 978-1-349-45804-2, retrieved 2024-02-16,
As will be shown here, the era of sexual revolution was a very specific period for debates regarding pedophilia. Pedophiles made themselves publicly known and attempted to set up special-interest organisations.