Chapter 14: variations in sexual behaviour Flashcards
Paraphilia
Abnormal sexual behaviours. Are not (always) mental disorders and don’t always require intervention.
Sociological approach
Sexual behaviour violates the norms of society when:
- It causes discomfort
- It causes inefficiency
- It’s bizarre (cultural determined)
Medical approach
There are 8 specific paraphillia’s:
1. Fetishism
2. Transvetishism (cross-dressing)
3. Sadism
4. Masochisim
5. Voyeurism
6. Frotteurism
7. Exhibitionism
8. Pedophilia
Fetishism
Sexual fixation on an object (other than a human being) and of great erotic significance.
Fetishistic disorder
Sexual fantasies, urges or behaviour involving a non-living object to produce or enhance sexual arousal with or without the partner. Must last for at least 6 months and cause significant distress to get a diagnosis.
Cross-dressing
Dressing as member of the other gender. It’s almost exclusively a male variations.
Transvestic disorder
Crossdressing to experience sexual excitement. Must cause significant distress or impairs social functioning.
Sexual sadism
A person who experiences sexual arousal from the physical or psychological suffering of others.
Sexual masochism
A person who experiences sexual arousal from the act of being humiliated, beaten, bound etc.
Sadomasochistic behaviour (SM)
Fantasies about this are more common than actual behaviour. Men are often earlier interested in SM.
Clustered scripted SM parties
Scripted SM events, which pakes the pain experience very different than pain in real life. The clusters are:
- Hypermasculinity
- Pain
- Physical restrictions
- Humiliations
Causes of sadomasochism
- Learning theories: it comes form conditioning.
- It comes form childhood sexual abuse.
- It comes form the desire to escape form self-awareness.
Dominance and submission
Is the key to SM, instead of pain. It’s a social behaviour in our culture and it’s controlled by elaborate scripts. There are DS clubs and bars and DS-ers play by the same rules.
Voyeurism
People who get sexually aroused by watching an unsuspected person being naked, undressing or engaging in sexual activity’s. It becomes a paraphilia when it’s manifested by urges, fantasies or behaviour and it’s marked by distress. Voyeurists need the unsuspected part and are therefor not aroused by naked camps.
Exhibitionism
People who get sexually aroused by showing their genitals to an unsuspected person.
Hypersexuality
Extraordinarily high levels of sexual activity and sex drive. It’s not about more desire, but about lack of control. It’s called nymphomania in women and satyriasis in men. There need to be more than 7 orgasms a week at a minimum duration of 6 months. This is different in women. People often have a lack of self-control and coping strategies.
Most common forms of paraphilia and unconventional sexual behaviours
- Compulsive masturbation
- Protracted promiscuity (many of sex partners)
- Dependence on pornography
- Exhibitionism
- Voyeurism
- Pedophilia
Asexuality
Having no sexual attraction to a person of either sex. This occurs more in women, less in cis-gender people and less in people who are in a long-term relationship. It’s NOT a subtype of hypoactive sexual disorder, and it causes less distress. They can experience desire when watching an erotic movie, but don’t feel sexual attraction.
Asphyxiophilia
Getting sexually aroused by inducing oneself in a state of oxygen deficiency.
Zoophilia / bestiality / sodomy
Sexual contact with an animal. Occurs more in boys (often that live on a farm).
Frotteurism
Sexual fantasies, behaviours or urges to rub about touching or rubbing one’s genitals against an nonconsenting person (often in public).
Saliromania
The urge desire to damage or soil a woman or her clothing.
Coprophilia and urophilia
Using feces or urine for sexual satisfaction.
Sexsomnia / sleep sex
Automatic, unintentional sexual behaviours during the first 2 hours of sleep. Can be caused by sleep deprivation, alcohol, medications, sleep apnea and stress.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Is quite effective, especially with young offenders and high risk offenders. Consist of social skills training, modification of distorted thinking and relapse prevention. Work the best with rapist, then exhibitionists and the least with intrafamily sex offenders. It’s important that the treatments are voluntary!
