Chronicle Editor
Pastor Barbara Meck Silumbu
PARAPHILIC Disorders are sexual disorders of at least six months duration in which the person has either acted on or is severely distressed by recurrent urges or fantasies involving any of the following, non-human objects, non-consenting others, or real or stimulated suffering or humiliation. There are eight disorders under Paraphilic disorders which are exhibitionistic disorder, fetishistic disorder, frotteuristic disorder, paedophilic disorder, sexual masochism disorder, sexual sadism disorder, transvestic disorder, and voyeuristic disorder. Most people with atypical sexual interest do not have mental illness and these are paraphilias.
The ones with the following interests can be diagnosed with Paraphilic disorders and need mental treatment: They feel personal distress about their interest, not merely distress resulting from society’s disapproval or have a sexual desire or behaviour that involves another person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviours involving unwilling persons or persons unable to give legal consent.
Paraphilias Involving non-human objects, under this category two forms of paraphilia are evident namely Fetishism and Transvestic Fetishism. Fetishism is an attraction or arousal related to a non-living object, Transvestic Fetishism involves cross dressing. This behaviour is most common in males and rare among females.
Paraphilias involving non-consenting persons involves persistent and powerful sexual fantasies about unsuspecting strangers or acquaintances. The victims do not choose to be the object of the attention or sexual behaviour. From this category we have Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, Frotteurism and Pedophilia. Exhibitionism is characterised by urges, acts, or fantasies of exposing ones genitals to a stranger, often with the intent of shocking the unsuspecting victim. This is very common and it’s usually a male and the victim a female. Most females do not report but suffer moderate distress. Voyeurism comprises of urges, acts or fantasies involving an unsuspecting person disrobing or engaging in sexual activity. It is sometimes called “Peeping” is considered abnormal behaviour when it includes risk and is done in socially unacceptable circumstances. Here sexual contact is not the goal but arousal.
Frotteurism involves recurrent and intense sexual urges, acts, fantasies or touching or rubbing against non-consenting person. The person acted upon becomes distressed and reports the abnormal behaviour. It’s also common in queues and in buses where there might be standing passengers. Paedophilia is when an adult obtains erotic gratification through urges, acts, or fantasies involving sexual contact with a prepubescent child.
This is very common and the perpetrators are reported when an adult notices some of the following symptoms on children, for example urinary tract infections, poor appetite, headaches, nightmares, trouble sleeping, decline in school performance, acting out behaviours, sexually focused behaviours. The effects of sexual abuse can be lifelong. Incest is a form of paedophilia but can occur between adults. This is sexual relations between people too closely related to have sexual intercourse or marry. Cases of incest most commonly reported to law enforcement agencies are between a father and his daughter or step daughter. Most common incestuous relationship is brother and sister.
Mother and son incest seems to be rare.
Sadism and masochism are two forms of sexual pervasion which involve pain and or humiliation. Sadism is the derivation of sexual arousal, fantasies or sexual acts which involve inflicting physical or psychological pain on others. Whereas masochism is when sexual urges, fantasies and acts are associated with being humiliated, tied up or made to endure physical suffering. The 2015 movie 50 Shades of Grey depicts this combination of sadomasochism and portrays the bondage and discipline, submission and dominance behaviour, which many researchers can trace back to childhood exposure to some form of trauma which aroused sexual feelings. Examples include being spanked in high school by female teachers or while females were looking on.
Rape is a highly contentious issue within our society and has formed the core our Gender Based Violence (GBV) crime statistic. Rape is an act of aggression perpetrated sexually on another person against their will and consent. This is either through the use of force, argument, pressure, alcohol, drugs or authority. Rape is also defined as having sexual activity with a minor whom is incapable legally to grant consent (statutory rape). Although we will not delve deep into the controversies that surround this topic, we will however, strive to highlight some of the causes, myths and effects of rape.
Fellow researchers have varied causes of rape, however, consensus is drawn around the fact that rape is not a sexual deviance disorder but it is rather violence and aggression and is motivated by power and not sex. Many people believe that sex offenders are not good candidates for treatment. High recidivism rates are often associated with sexual aggression, and the most frequent action is incarceration. Punishment by imprisonment has been the main form of treatment for sex offenders. Therapy while in prison also helps the sex offender’s deal with the deviant behaviour.
The writer, Pastor Barbara Meck Silumbu is a Clinical Psychologist.
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