Pedophiles prefer children under the age of 12 (as a rule);

A Pederast is a male, who prefers young pre-teen amd teen boys that are either beginning puberty or who have already reached puberty.

They:

Are popular with children, teens and adults.

Appear to be trustworthy and respectable.

Have good standing in the community.

Prefer the company of children and teens.

Feel more comfortable with children than adults.

Are mainly attracted to prepubescent boys and girls.

Can be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.

"Groom" children with quality time, video games, parties, candy, toys, gifts, money.

Single out children who seem troubled and in need of attention or affection.

Often date or marry women with children that are the age of his preferred victims.

Rarely forces or coerces a child into sexual contact. Usually through trust and friendship.

Physical contact is gradual, from touching, to picking up, to holding on lap, to kissing, etc.

Derive gratification in a number of ways. For some, looking is enough. For others, taking pictures or watching children undress is enough. Still others require more contact.

Find different ways and places to be alone with children.

Are primarily (but not always) male, masculine, better-educated, more religious than average, in their thirties, and choose jobs allowing them greater access to children.

Are usually family men, have no criminal record, and deny that they abuse children, even after caught, convicted, incarcerated, and court-ordered into a sex offender program. The marriage is often troubled by sexual dysfunction, and serves as a smokescreen for the pedophile's true preferences and practices.

Are often, but not always, themselves victims of some form of childhood sexual abuse.

Even if the pedophile has no children, his home is usually child-friendly, with toys, books, video games, computers, bikes, swing sets, skateboards, rec room, pool, snacks - things to attract children to his home and keep them coming back. Usually the items reflect the preferred age of his victims.

A female pedophile sometimes, but not always abuses a child when partnered with an adult male pedophile, and is often herself a victim of chronic sexual abuse.

C an act independently, or be involved in an organized ring, including the Internet, NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association), and other pro-pedophilia groups.

Some pedophiles recognize that their behavior is criminal, immoral, and unacceptable by society, and operate in secrecy. Some are quite open and militant about their practices and advocate the normalization of pedophilia under the guise of freedom of speech and press, and use innocuous language like "intergenerational intimacy."