Paraphilia

Excerpt

Paraphilias are persistent and recurrent sexual interests, urges, fantasies, or behaviors of marked intensity involving objects, activities, or even situations that are atypical in nature. Although not innately pathological, a paraphilic disorder can evolve if paraphilia invokes harm, distress, or functional impairment on the lives of the affected individual or others. A total of eight Paraphilias are listed in the DSM V and include pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, sexual sadism, sexual masochism, frotteurism, fetishism, and transvestic fetishism.

Pedophilia is any sexual activity with a prepubescent child, where the offender/patient is at least sixteen years of age, and the victim is at least five years younger. Exhibitionism is the exposure of an individual’s genitalia to unsuspecting strangers for sexual satisfaction. Voyeurism is the viewing of an unsuspecting person engaging in disrobing or sexual activity. Sexual sadism is when sexual arousal is gained from inflicting mental or physical suffering on a nonconsenting person. Sexual masochism is the derivation of sexual arousal from being the recipient of physical or mental abuse and/or humiliation. Frotteurism is the touching of or rubbing against a nonconsenting person. Fetishism is the use of nonliving objects, most commonly shoes and undergarments, for sexual pleasure. Transvestic fetishism is the derivation of sexual arousal from cross-dressing or dressing in clothes of the opposite sex.