1.6 Problem 7
Unusual Preferences?
Paraphilic Disorders
Paraphilic disorder- paraphilia currently causing individual significant distress or impairment, or
entails personal harm or risk of harm to others
Definitions highly controversial
o Some sexual behaviour variations considered mental disorders, others not
o Labelling behaviours involving others, eg. paedophilia, potentially provides excuse
for behaviours
Major Sexual Variations
Transvestism- recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, and behaviours involving
cross-dressing
Heterosexual male deriving sexual satisfaction from wearing female clothes
Many married, and seem very masculine
NOT female impersonators or homosexual males in drag
May or may not be for purposes of sexual arousal/gratification
Transsexualism- intense desire to become member of opposite sex, feeling trapped in wrong
body
More an issue of gender role
Many want surgical intervention for sex change
Equally found across genders
Hypoxyphilia- attempts to enhance pleasure of orgasm by reduction of oxygen intake
Necrophilia- sexual desire for corpses
Zoophilia/bestiality- sexual desire for animals
Europhilia- arousal from contact with urine
Coprophilia- arousal from contact with faeces
Combinations- more than one sexual variation
most common combination is fetishism, transvestism, sadism, and masochism
Fetishistic and Transvestic Disorder
Fetishism- recurrent sexual urges or behaviours concerning use of inanimate objects or non-
genital body parts
common eroticised body parts: feet, toes, hairs
almost exclusively in males
o Less than 1% diagnosed with disorder
Transvestic disorder- dressing in clothes of opposite sex as means of becoming sexually aroused
2.8% of men, 0.4% of women
o Approx. 50% of men find the behaviour acceptable= don’t quality for dsm-5 criteria
for disorder
Cross dress alone or in groups
Typically starts before or during puberty
Sexual function of cross-dressing usually decreases with age
Sexual Sadism and Masochism Disorders
Sadism- sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviours inflicting pain and humiliation on sex partner
For disorder, must cause significant distress or impairment in functioning, or no
consent from partner
Masochism- sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviours suffering pain or humiliation during sex
For disorder, must cause person significant distress or functioning impairment
Two separate diagnoses
Frequently considered together (sadomasochism)
Can engage in behaviours to a mild level, won’t be given diagnosis
Four types of sexual rituals:
o Physical restriction (eg. bondage, chains, handcuffs)
o Administration of pain (eg. beatings, whippings, strangulation, stabbing, even
death)
o Hypermasculinity practices (eg. fists, enemas)
o Humiliation (verbal/physical humiliation during sex)
Victim may be consenting or not
Voyeuristic, Exhibitionist, Frotteuristic Disorders
Voyageurism- form of sexual arousal involving watching another undress, do things in nude or
have sex
Most common illegal paraphilia
In Sweden: 12% of men, 4% of women at least one incident of arousal from spying on
others having sex
Usually men, masturbate during or after watching
Unusual Preferences?
Paraphilic Disorders
Paraphilic disorder- paraphilia currently causing individual significant distress or impairment, or
entails personal harm or risk of harm to others
Definitions highly controversial
o Some sexual behaviour variations considered mental disorders, others not
o Labelling behaviours involving others, eg. paedophilia, potentially provides excuse
for behaviours
Major Sexual Variations
Transvestism- recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, and behaviours involving
cross-dressing
Heterosexual male deriving sexual satisfaction from wearing female clothes
Many married, and seem very masculine
NOT female impersonators or homosexual males in drag
May or may not be for purposes of sexual arousal/gratification
Transsexualism- intense desire to become member of opposite sex, feeling trapped in wrong
body
More an issue of gender role
Many want surgical intervention for sex change
Equally found across genders
Hypoxyphilia- attempts to enhance pleasure of orgasm by reduction of oxygen intake
Necrophilia- sexual desire for corpses
Zoophilia/bestiality- sexual desire for animals
Europhilia- arousal from contact with urine
Coprophilia- arousal from contact with faeces
Combinations- more than one sexual variation
most common combination is fetishism, transvestism, sadism, and masochism
Fetishistic and Transvestic Disorder
Fetishism- recurrent sexual urges or behaviours concerning use of inanimate objects or non-
genital body parts
common eroticised body parts: feet, toes, hairs
almost exclusively in males
o Less than 1% diagnosed with disorder
Transvestic disorder- dressing in clothes of opposite sex as means of becoming sexually aroused
2.8% of men, 0.4% of women
o Approx. 50% of men find the behaviour acceptable= don’t quality for dsm-5 criteria
for disorder
Cross dress alone or in groups
Typically starts before or during puberty
Sexual function of cross-dressing usually decreases with age
Sexual Sadism and Masochism Disorders
Sadism- sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviours inflicting pain and humiliation on sex partner
For disorder, must cause significant distress or impairment in functioning, or no
consent from partner
Masochism- sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviours suffering pain or humiliation during sex
For disorder, must cause person significant distress or functioning impairment
Two separate diagnoses
Frequently considered together (sadomasochism)
Can engage in behaviours to a mild level, won’t be given diagnosis
Four types of sexual rituals:
o Physical restriction (eg. bondage, chains, handcuffs)
o Administration of pain (eg. beatings, whippings, strangulation, stabbing, even
death)
o Hypermasculinity practices (eg. fists, enemas)
o Humiliation (verbal/physical humiliation during sex)
Victim may be consenting or not
Voyeuristic, Exhibitionist, Frotteuristic Disorders
Voyageurism- form of sexual arousal involving watching another undress, do things in nude or
have sex
Most common illegal paraphilia
In Sweden: 12% of men, 4% of women at least one incident of arousal from spying on
others having sex
Usually men, masturbate during or after watching
