According to Merriam-Webster, necrophilia can be defined as an, “obsession with and usually erotic interest in or stimulation by corpses” (Webster1). Someone must experience a minimum of six months of strong, habitual urges or dreams regarding sexual interaction with cadavers to be diagnosed with necrophilia (USCB1). An individual can be diagnosed with necrophilia even if they do not act on or follow through with any of their urges. Necrophilia is comprised of a large scale of actions and fantasies (UCSB1). Experts have made subcategories to aid in clarifying the spectrum of necrophilic actions and fantasies (UCSB1). The first subcategory is necrophilic fantasies. “Necrophilic fantasies” are simply fantasies of sexual contact with the deceased (UCSB1). The second subcategory, “pseudonecrophilia,” is defined as secluded episodes of sexual contact with a cadaver with no prior necrophilic fantasies or yearnings (UCSB1). The third subcategory is necrosadism. “Necrosadism” is described as, “a paraphilia in which one derives sexual pleasure from violent actions performed on a corpse, such as mutilation or the drinking of blood” (UCSB1). The final subcategory, necrophilic homicide, is like necrosadism, but differs in the fact that the crime of killing a victim to acquire a cadaver is a part of the fantasy (UCSB1). The majority of necrophiliacs or necrophiles are heterosexual males between the ages of twenty and fifty (UCSB1). Some examples of infamous necrophiliac males are Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein, and Ted Bundy. “Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, raped, killed and dismembered 17 boys and men from 1978 to 1991” (IPood1). On July 22, 1991, he was arrested in his apartment located within Oxford Apartments (Nichols244). “In his putrid, one-bedroom apartment in Milwaukee, he saved painted skulls and severed heads, including one stashed in the fridge next
Freud (1940) was the first to do the link between sexual abuses during the childhood and adult abnormal behavior. As a result of that serial killer uses sex as a way to let out his or her anger and aggression. The sexually acts of the serial killer is not only about sex, but it is about revenge, power, and control. “Serial killers are unconsciously trying to kill off their repressed sexual pain and powerlessness. Every stab into the victim’s flesh is a stab against their own childhood sexual terror and pain, and the rage that accompanies it is a rage against those who tormented and terrorized” (Knight, 2006, p. 1199-1200).
Holmes and Holmes developed this typology based on various characteristics of the crime scenes and the victims themselves of 110 interviews of selected offenders and serial murders (Canter & Wentink, 2004). David Canter and Natalia Wentink conducted an empirical test of this typology and developed several criticisms to their work. Their empirical test concluded that the features described for each category tend to co-occur within each other. For example, the characteristics of a lust killer include a controlled crime scene, evidence of torture, the body being moved, a specific type of victim, no weapon left at the crime scene, and rape; all of these features are also included for the thrill killer. This makes it difficult to categorize these
...uld certainly lead to a desire to dig up the bodies of recently buried women and use them to create macabre artifacts around the house. “Necrophilia can best be described as sexual arousal stimulated by a dead body. The stimulation can be either in the form of fantasies or actual physical sexual contact with the corpse.” (Hucker, 2010)
The personification of sadomasochistic ideals in the novel comes from Martin Vanger, head of the Vanger companies and, unknown to everyone, a serial rapist and murderer. For example, Vanger may very well have felt that his father, Gottfried Vanger, by raping him as a child, had forced him to not only become the man he became, but to accept his “fate.” Stekel and Brink also explained why many serial sadomasochists kill their victims, something he labeled the death clause. The death clause explained the idea of “the parapathic amalgamation of death and normal intercourse” (Stekel and Brink 2: 246). That is, that the algolagnic behavior is so ingrained into their mind, that they can only derive normal sexual pleasure through the ultimate pain one can inflict, death. The death clause is something that Vanger seemed to very much experience, and it would explain not only his torture chamber, but why he killed almost every girl he raped.
Some psychologist believe that if a serial killer displays or kills his victims in such a way then it qualifies as fulfilling as sexual desire. These killers are usually diagnosed with a mental disorder referred to as sexual sadism. Psychologists refer to serial killers who kill in this manner as sexual sadist. A sexual sadist enjoys the ‘suffering or embarrassment of others to the point of arousal’ (Serial Killers and Sexual Sadism). Sociologists believe that a serial killer needs to “fulfil a sexual desire by turning a fantasy into a controllable reality” (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). Sadist crave the dominance and control over their victims because they feel as if they cannot control other aspects of their life. Another biological factor derives within the DNA of the person. Many killers have the “MAO-A gene (monoamine oxidase A). This gene, which has been the target of considerable research, is also known as the "warrior gene" because it regulates serotonin in the brain. Serotonin affects your mood — think Prozac — and many scientists believe that if you have a certain version of the warrior gene, your brain won't respond to the calming effects of serotonin (A Neuroscientist Uncovers a Dark Secret).” With this gene psychologist and scientist alike believe that this can foretell a serial killer before he becomes a serial
In Bram Stoker's Dracula, the most blatant and powerful symbol is blood. He takes the blood that means so much to the believers of this legend and has it represent more than even they could imagine. Blood is the main object associated with vampires and vampirism. From a mythical standpoint, it is the basis of life for the vampires as they feed off of the blood of young, vibrant souls. From a more scientific standpoint blood is what would drip out of the corpse's mouth when family members would dig up their dead kin to check for the dreaded disease. Stoker takes the significance of this symbol and puts his own unique twist to the meaning of blood. He combines the traditional folklore of vampirism and the immense sexual undertones of the Victorian era to create a simply horrific tale which completely confuses the emotions of his readers. Stoker knew bloods importance in vampire history and used the overwhelming symbolism to convey his own personal lust and sexual obsessions. The scenes where Lucy is receiving transfusions; first from Holmwood, then from Seward, and the unforgettable vampire baptism between Dracula and Mina all have these very erotic, sexual feelings associated with them. What makes these so powerful is the combination of violence and sex. As a reader, you know that what Dracula is doing are horrific and wrong, but because they are so sexually described and associated you think you should enjoy them, but you can't. This is the confusion which stoker implements into his readers minds, especially ones of the Victorian era. This is why stoker used blood as the most important symbol in the novel; to create an intense horror that was not just in the words of the book, but in the minds of the reader.
Serial killers commonly attack a single target at a time one on one. There also tends to be no or very little relation between the person being killed and the killer (murder 1). “The nature of this drive has been heavily debated, but there is a consensus on some points (Anderson 1).” Many researchers have noted sexual behavior in the murder.
We see this often in society when we hear of murders. A lot of the time these serial killers have experience pain of some sort in their childhood and it has led them here. They might not realize this, but it can be believed that these acts are unconsciously trying to get rid of their own sexual pain. A lot of time people use defense mechanisms to avoid the actual problem. People get pleasure from sexual intercourse and having control which could be why it is used during different crimes. Also with sexual intercourse there is often a more dominating person and that could be the control they never had. The serial killer could use that as a way to feel in control of something when they lack that feeling in their daily lives. They take their anger and frustration out from never fitting in or always feeling like the outcast while growing up. Some of the criminals have fantasies of domination and end up taking them out on others in real life. I do believe this is a disorder of some sort but it is also hard to understand how a person could ever do something so evil to another human
“My consuming lust was to experience their bodies. I viewed them as objects, as strangers. It is hard for me to believe a human being could have done what I've done”(Dahmer). Jeffrey Dahmer is notably one of the most infamous serial killers in the United States. Along with seventeen murders under his belt, he was also a pedophile, cannibal and necrophiliac.
Disturbing behavior, such as that of cannibalism as well as necrophilism, is a result of chemical imbalances in the brain.
Peters, Ellis. "A Morbid Taste for Bones." Worldtracker.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. .
Dahmer was a pretty normal, but very lonely kid. His loneliness followed him throughout the course of his life. Never having an intimate friendship or relationship, along with being consumed with confusion over his own sexuality eventually led him to become the household name he is today. From 1978 to 1991, Dahmer murdered 17 boys and men. Not only is he considered a murderer, but he committed (on several occasions) rape and dismemberment. After his later murders, he was found guilty of necrophilia, cannibalism, and permanent preservation of body parts. He is arguably the most well known, gruesome, and intriguing criminal in American history.
...f brain abnormalities on psychosocial development, criminal history and paraphilias in sexual murderers." J Forensic sci 50.5 (2005): 1204-8.
The way that a sexual fetish is first developed within a person has been debated but the general consensus among physiologists is that they begin at an early age generally after some kind of event or trauma. Fetishes can also start once a person reaches adulthood, but this is rare. Most of the individuals with fetishes are men and the intensity of the need for the object or body part they enjoy can very. Some people like to enjoy their fetish rarely while ot...
In the face of the universal fact of death, attitudes to the corpse are various and changeable. These attitudes are formed through the practices of treatment of the dead and are embodied in various ways (Parker Pearson 1999, p. 45).