Treating the attraction to children as the same as the molestation of children is a scorched earth policy that serves only a fanatics sense of justice.

One of the easiest ways to become a person that molests children is to be a child that was molested.

Making it impossible to openly be treated drives these people further away from society. Making it even harder for them to get treatment, more likely to be frustrated and anti social and thus more likely to molest children.

If you want less children to be sexually molested then it's in your best interest to not vilify people who just being attracted to children. Drop your sense of disgust and justice, look at it practically.

If potential pedophiles can't get treatment because they would be socially crucified for even admitting it then that's not helping anything.

Further the emphasis on sexual shame in society makes it harder for molested children to come forward. When they begin to sexually mature and find themselves with pedophilic thoughts, it makes it less likely they will discuss it openly in a way that will help abate the condition.

If our goal isn't reduction in sexually assaulted children but to masturbate our sense of justice, then by all means let the witch hunt continue!