This is an exploratory study of a highly contentious and controversial area. The aim of the study is both to produce theory on how paedophiles construct their identities and also to contribute to a more effective policy response to the public health crisis of child sexual abuse. The study starts from the premise that current cultural understandings of 'paedophilia' and 'paedophiles' are mediated primarily, not through dry professional medico-legal discourse, but through popular media including websites, blogs, news items and films. These media provide the framework by which individuals communicate with one another about what sexual attraction to children means, what is and what should be done about it. In contemporary society, the first move most people will make if they want to find out about something is to google it. Typing in 'paedophile' (or 'pedophile') into any search engine shows Wikipedia as one of the most popular search-results. The articles in Wikipedia are linked to external websites: browsing these links will take the searcher, usually directly, to popular pro-paedophile websites such as www.puellula.com. Such websites are the primary means by which adults sexually attracted to children - self-styled 'paedophiles', 'child-lovers' or 'minor-attracted adults' (MAA) - communicate with each another and their online community their individual experiences, desires, views and beliefs. Textual analysis of the material on these sites allows clearer understanding of pro-paedophile discourses. \nTo enhance understanding of the relationship between discourse, experience, identity and community, this study also makes use of anonymous, confidential qualitative data obtained from online questionnaires (together with the Project Information Sheet to read prior to completion), advertised among the 'paedophile community' and posted online at a secure website. This study would not succeed without the active support of members of the 'paedophile community'; implications of this are discussed in the Case for Support. Questionnaires are completed and emailed to the researcher. Data from 17 respondents has already been received and it is expected to complete data-collection (up to 50 respnses) by the end of this year. Analysis (and follow-up of specific issues if required) will be completed by Spring 2008, while individual chapters on methodology and findings are being prepared and written up. \nAnalysis of the online and questionnaire material situates the micro-level psychosocial aspects of individual accounts within the macro-level structural context of political, legislative and policy-based frameworks (such as the turn to child protection and human rights discourses and the topical debate on 'lost childhood') as well as broader cultural discourses, for example on child sexuality. Psychoanalytic processes (denial, splitting, projection) are also seen as relevant, both in understanding community responses and in making sense of the ways in which a person is able to hold the discredited and stigmatised identity of 'paedophile'. The study suggests that adults sexually attracted to children may struggle with depression and actively seek to make sense of their experiences within the supportive environment of the online 'paedophile community', which provides both information and, significantly, advice. Within this community are those who argue for and those who argue strongly against any form of sexual contact with children. This study highlights these conflicting ways of 'being a paedophile' (eg 'contact' versus 'non-contact'). \nIn brief, this study uses analysis of popular culture and pro-paedophile websites alongside qualitative data from self-identified paedophiles to explore the inter-relationship between discourses, community and identity. It is intended to contribute to policy by suggesting more culturally-aware child protection messages which are sensitive to discourses and debates within the online paedophile community.