Chapter 14: variations in sexual behaviour

Question 1

Paraphilia

Answer 1

Abnormal sexual behaviours. Are not (always) mental disorders and don’t always require intervention.

Question 2

Sociological approach

Answer 2

Sexual behaviour violates the norms of society when:
- It causes discomfort
- It causes inefficiency
- It’s bizarre (cultural determined)

Question 3

Medical approach

Answer 3

There are 8 specific paraphillia’s:
1. Fetishism
2. Transvetishism (cross-dressing)
3. Sadism
4. Masochisim
5. Voyeurism
6. Frotteurism
7. Exhibitionism
8. Pedophilia

Question 4

Fetishism

Answer 4

Sexual fixation on an object (other than a human being) and of great erotic significance.

Question 5

Fetishistic disorder

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

Cross-dressing

Answer 6

Dressing as member of the other gender. It’s almost exclusively a male variations.

Question 7

Transvestic disorder

Answer 7

Crossdressing to experience sexual excitement. Must cause significant distress or impairs social functioning.

Question 8

Sexual sadism

Answer 8

A person who experiences sexual arousal from the physical or psychological suffering of others.

Question 9

Sexual masochism

Answer 9

A person who experiences sexual arousal from the act of being humiliated, beaten, bound etc.

Question 10

Sadomasochistic behaviour (SM)

Answer 10

Fantasies about this are more common than actual behaviour. Men are often earlier interested in SM.

Question 11

Clustered scripted SM parties

Answer 11

Scripted SM events, which pakes the pain experience very different than pain in real life. The clusters are:
- Hypermasculinity
- Pain
- Physical restrictions
- Humiliations

Question 12

Causes of sadomasochism

Answer 12

• Learning theories: it comes form conditioning.
• It comes form childhood sexual abuse.
• It comes form the desire to escape form self-awareness.

Question 13

Dominance and submission

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Voyeurism

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Exhibitionism

Answer 15

People who get sexually aroused by showing their genitals to an unsuspected person.

Question 16

Hypersexuality

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Most common forms of paraphilia and unconventional sexual behaviours

Answer 17

• Compulsive masturbation
• Protracted promiscuity (many of sex partners)
• Dependence on pornography
• Exhibitionism
• Voyeurism
• Pedophilia

Question 18

Asexuality

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Asphyxiophilia

Answer 19

Getting sexually aroused by inducing oneself in a state of oxygen deficiency.

Question 20

Zoophilia / bestiality / sodomy

Answer 20

Sexual contact with an animal. Occurs more in boys (often that live on a farm).

Question 21

Frotteurism

Answer 21

Sexual fantasies, behaviours or urges to rub about touching or rubbing one’s genitals against an nonconsenting person (often in public).

Question 22

Saliromania

Answer 22

The urge desire to damage or soil a woman or her clothing.

Question 23

Coprophilia and urophilia

Answer 23

Using feces or urine for sexual satisfaction.

Question 24

Sexsomnia / sleep sex

Answer 24

Automatic, unintentional sexual behaviours during the first 2 hours of sleep. Can be caused by sleep deprivation, alcohol, medications, sleep apnea and stress.

Question 25

Cognitive behavioural therapy

Answer 25

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!