Chapter 16: Paraphilias and Sexual Variants

1. Chapter 16: Paraphilias and Sexual Variants For use with Human Sexuality Today (4th Ed.) Bruce King Slides prepared by: Traci Craig

2. Chapter Overview Bestiality & Zoophilia Pedophilia Sadomasochism Other Paraphilias Multiple Paraphilias Causes of Paraphilias • Historical Perspectives • Fetishism • Transvestism • Exhibitionism • Obscene Phone Calls • Voyeurism

3. Historical Perspectives • 11th centuryany non-missionary position, bestiality, masturbation, and sodomy were all unnatural acts. • Victorian eramasturbation was self-abuse • Freudanything that took precedence over vaginal intercourse was deviant

4. Deviance vs. Perversion • Deviance is a problem of control (e.g., rape) • Perversion is a problem of desire • Behaviors changemove from deviance to perversion to normal • Paraphilia—sexual arousal and gratification depend almost exclusively on the behavior or thinking about the behavior.

5. Sexual Variants • Behaviors or thoughts about behaviors that are not the ‘only’ way that that a person can achieve sexual arousal or gratification. • Some are harmful others are harmless to the self. • Privacy and legality should be considered. • Paraphilias detract from the ability to form and maintain relationships with others.

6. Fetishism • Erotic fetishism: arousal exclusively by handling or fantasizing about an inanimate object or part of the body. • Panties, stockings, shoes, boots, hair, leather/rubber/latex, feet. • Mostly men. Starts around 16. At the extreme the partner is unnecessary. • Classical conditioning, operant conditioning reinforcement during masturbation.

7. Transvestism • Dressing as a member of the opposite sex in order to achieve sexual arousal/gratification. • Cross-dressing not transvestism. • 1% of men, mostly heterosexual men, private, partners tolerate at best. • Starts before puberty • Escaping masculinity, fantasy of self as female, associations, other explanations.

8. Exhibitionism • Exposing one’s genitals to unsuspecting strangers for sexual arousal/gratification. • Not streaking or mooning, but compulsive. • Almost all men, start in mid-teens or 20s • Feel inadequate, insecure, fear rejection, problems with close relationships. • Seeking victim’s disgust, shock, fear reaction. • 1/3 of sexual offenders are caught for indecent exposure.

9. Obscene Phone Calls • Telephone scatologia: seeking disgust, shock, fear, and control. • Want anonymity • Angry towards women, phone provides safe distance, avoids intimacy • 1 million calls per year reported in the US • Rarely approach or molest victims. • Often someone you know, hang up without reaction.

10. Voyeurism • 33% of men and 16% of women find watching others do sexual things appealingnot voyeurism • Repeatedly seeking sexual arousal by observing people undressing or nude without their consent or knowledge. • Aroused by risk of discovery. • Mostly men beginning before age 15. • Masturbates while watching.

11. Bestiality and Zoophilia • Bestiality—sexual contact with an animal. • Men farm animals; womenhousehold pets • Men penetrate, women have the animal lick their genitals or masturbate the animal. • Usually a one time event during adolescence • Zoophiliabestiality is preferred means of arousal. Often a sign of sever psychological problems.

12. Pedophilia • Adult’s sexual arousal depends primarily or exclusively on sex with children. • Legal age of consent varies (14-18) • Defined as younger than 13 (prepubescent) • Serious harm to the victims who suffer emotional and psychological (and sometimes physical) problems.

13. Sadomasochism (S&M) • Sadism—inflicting pain on others for arousal • Masochism—arousal by experiencing pain • Mild forms very common—bitten, slapped (on the buttocks), pinched, scratched, pinned down. • Paraphilia only when it is the ‘preferred’ means of arousal.

14. Sadomasochism • Severe casesBundy, Dahmer, Gacy • Sadism is less common than Masochism • Most experiences in that are not clinical cases are more about control not pain. • Domination and Submission • With limits, control, roles in scenarios, with trusted willing partners • Pain is symbolic • More men than women, well-educated, successful, prominent people, reverse role held in ‘real’ life.

15. Other Paraphilias • Urophiliacs—aroused by urination • Coprophiliacs—aroused by excrement • Mysophilia—aroused by filth • Klismaphilia—aroused by receiving an enema (more women) • Frotteurism—rubbing one’s genitals against other people in public while clothed (crowded places)

16. Other Paraphilias • Autoerotic asphyxiation—deprivation of oxygen when aroused to intensify orgasm. • Very dangerous—deaths in young men masturbating alone. • Necrophilia—arousal by having sex with dead bodies • Severely emotionally disturbed, also sadists • Seek work in morgues or mortuaries

17. Multiple Paraphilias • Many individuals have more than one paraphilia • Some cluster together • Courtship disordersvoyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism • Most sex offenders have 3-4 • Developed interests/fantasies by 12 or 13

18. What causes Paraphilias? • Freudianarrested psychosexual development • Learning theoristslearned assocations • But why mostly men? • Definitions depend on societal climate • Women in men’s clothesacceptable • Women who expose themselvessexy

19. What causes Paraphilias? • 90,000 arrests for sexual offenses (not rape or prostitution) 90% men • Most have problems with intimacy and anger at women. • Conventional sexual relationships are too complex and threatening. • Social systems perspectiveensure against rejection, men maintain dominance

20. Therapy • Psychotherapy or Group Therapy • Become aware of feelings • Confrontational approaches • Behavioral approaches • Aversion therapy • Orgasmic reconditioning • Desensitization to ‘normal’ relationships

21. Therapy • Social skills training • Coping with rejection • Also treated for hypersexuality • Individual must want to change. • Medical approaches reduce sex drive • Surgical castration • Antiandrogen drugs • Serotonin regulators • Social Systems Perspective • Change societal expectancies about men controlling womenshould lead to sharp decline in paraphilias.