Paraphilias Research Paper

Yesselin Azcona
Sociology 100
Prof. Tavakol
April 27, 2016
The Scope Within the Nature of Paraphilias
Throughout the world, every society views sexual deviance differently. To some, sexual assault may be traditional or common, and to others, it can be viewed as aberrant or deviant. One of the most known sexual deviations are called paraphilias. Paraphilias are bizarre or strange sexual practices that involve frequent sexual urges or fantasies that require nonhuman objects (such as leather or handcuffs), humiliation or pain, and children or a non-consenting adult that occur over a period of at least six months. The word “paraphilia” comes from a combination of para and philia. Para means “beyond, alongside of aside from subsidiary to or faulty.”

“Fantasies, behaviors, or objects are paraphilic only when they lead to clinically significant distress or impairment” (Birdchard, Thaddeus p.162, APA, 2000). Although, when paraphilias include unwilling or underage victims, they are deemed socially damaging and subject to sanctions. These outlawed paraphilias are frotteurism, voyeurism, exhibitionism, sadomasochism and pedophilia.
Paraphilias are mostly common in men, First and Tasman (2006) note that about 95% of all paraphilias are practiced by men and describe it as male sexuality “gone awry” (Birdchard, Thaddeus p.162). Money and Ehrhardt mention that when an adolescent boy finds himself confronted by paraphilic images, he “knows that he is rewarded by them as the signs of the ecstatic feeling of orgasm” (Birdchard, Thaddeus p. 162, p. 149). It is also said that, “we do not

Another study shown by Seto, Michael C. surveyed 50 members of a Dutch working group on pedophilia, this study was done by Bernard (1975). It revealed that most of the respondents preferred boys, others preferred age being age 11 or 12. Also, more than half of the respondents were currently having sexual contact with a child, and more than half had been charged for sexual behavior against children. Bernard’s study proved that pedophilia is different within any person who possess it, it can vary within a good amount of characteristics. As stated by Seto, Michael C., Bernard found that, some respondents indicated that they were quite young when they became aware of their sexual interest in young children, and 90% indicated that they did not wish to give up their sexual contacts with boys, despite criminal discipline or involvement in treatment. There were also clinical samples done according to Seto, Michael C. These clinical samples presented a further source of enlightenment. Galbreath, Berlin and Sawyer (2002) reported data from 39 individuals who used the internet for sexual purposes. The study Galbreath, berlin and Sawyer managed disclosed that, 55% percent of the outpatients had downloaded child pornography, and 34% had attempted to meet a minor for sex through the internet.