"One reaction to a distorted view on one side of an issue is to give a distorted view on the other. Another is to give an accurate view. It's my contention that especially for a group with very little support, accuracy would be better than exaggerations in the name of advocacy."

No, it's not a question of giving another "distorted view" as a counterbalance - it's a question of voicing an experience. When society etc says that "paedophiles want to rape children" don't you think something like "no, I, myself, and none of the paedophiles I know want to do that"? - it's not statistical evidence, I know, but it is 'evidence' none-the-less. And I would say that it is as strong and significant as the evidence put forwards by the 'all paedos are rapists' mob.

For a parallel, consider a judge. A case comes before him to which his son is a party. There is no inherent reason he can't give a fair verdict in the case, but it is completely prohibited for him to hear it and he must recuse himself. He does not feel his integrity is insulted, but accepts it as part of the system.

I'm not too sure exactly what you're saying here Ethan. Is it that paedophiles, because of their emotional involvement and possible partiality, shouldn't be the ones who determine public policy on this matter? If so I am entirely in agreement as that is a role for society as a whole.

But if you're saying that paedophiles, because of their involvement and possible partiality, shouldn't contribute their voices, opinions and experiences to the debate (which is what I'm doing with this list) then I will have to disagree with you.

I'll repeat - this list isn't about public policy but about expressing certain knowledge and experience. I make no reference in this list as to how public policy should change. The list aims at correcting misconceptions about paedophilia and paedophiles - my list about how the world should change is a hell of a long way up the pipe-line and a hell of a lot longer!

"If you think about how men relate to women, there is a significant class of men who would never rape a woman but will lie or distort their position to get sex. Sex is a powerful motivator for everyone, and it's naive to think that there aren't a lot of pedophiles who wouldn't do that too. And whereas adult women often have the savvy to detect such men, children very often will not, so it is of greater practical significance."

Yes, there are bad people out there, what do we do about them? This leads us to a different discussion which I'm happy to have at some point but not now - however I will say that I don't think the current attitudes and laws concerning paedophilia etc either protect children particularly well, nor foster a good social environment for children to grow up in... but, I don't want to get too much into a discussion about policy.

"I have good evidence via back channels that this is not correct and that she believes what the book says.

It's perfectly legitimate for one 'scientist' to take the data another has gathered and to draw different conclusions from it.