What's the difference between 変態 and 痴女 (or 痴漢)?


In the [Dead Tube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Tube) manga, a girl is
being accused of being a 痴女【ちじょ】, at which she replies:

> 私変態だけど痴女じゃないもん！！

What's the difference between the two words? Is 変態 just a pervert and 痴女
someone that actually sexually assaults people?




変態 are people with abnormal sexual preferences. They can be men or women.
痴女(women) or 痴漢(men) are people who have committed sexual crimes. So, she can
be 変態 and not a 痴女 if she has abnormal sexual preferences but does not act on
them. [Japanese wiki explains this.
](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%89%E6%85%8B%E6%80%A7%E6%AC%B2
"変態性欲を（主に対外的に）行動に移すとき、場合によって、痴漢や痴女や変質者と呼ばれることがある（変態性欲者のすべてが変質者に含まれるわけではない）。")

To me, when I use 痴女(women) or 痴漢(men), I am not saying if their sexual
preferences are abnormal or not but I am saying that they are doing something
sexual in abnormal manners, meaning criminal manners.




変態 are people with abnormal sexual preferences. They can be men or women.
痴女(women) or 痴漢(men) are people who have committed sexual crimes. So, she can
be 変態 and not a 痴女 if she has abnormal sexual preferences but does not act on
them. [Japanese wiki explains this.
](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%89%E6%85%8B%E6%80%A7%E6%AC%B2
"変態性欲を（主に対外的に）行動に移すとき、場合によって、痴漢や痴女や変質者と呼ばれることがある（変態性欲者のすべてが変質者に含まれるわけではない）。")

To me, when I use 痴女(women) or 痴漢(men), I am not saying if their sexual
preferences are abnormal or not but I am saying that they are doing something
sexual in abnormal manners, meaning criminal manners.

