Not all pedophiles molest children and neither do all those convicted of child sex crimes feel driven or compelled to sexually abuse the young, a new study has found.

The paper, released by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), says sexual abuse is a serious social concern with a range of serious consequences for victims.

But misperceptions abound about those who sexually abuse children, says the paper's author, senior AIC research analyst Kelly Richards.

"An understanding of child sex offenders, based on the available evidence, is critical if child sexual abuse is to be prevented and responded to in effective ways," Dr Richards said in a statement on Friday.

In her study, Dr Richards cites a series of common misperceptions about child sexual abusers.