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Labels Like 'Pedophile' Don't Explain the Many Faces of Child Sexual Abuse

When the school band director is convicted for having sex with a 14-year-old trumpet player, more likely than not at least someone in the community will label him a "pedophile."

But pedophilia, the term popularly associated with the sexual abuse of children, does not apply in many cases of misconduct involving students and school employees, experts say.

"'Pedophile' is the most misused word in the language," said Jane K. Matthews, a Minneapolis-based psychologist who specializes in sex offenders. "Very few people qualify as a pedophile. But anytime there's a child...