Voyeurism is one of the behaviors in a group of sexual problems called paraphilias.

Paraphilias are associated with sexual arousal in response to stimuli not associated with
normal sexual behavior patterns. Voyeurism is a practice in which an individual derives
sexual pleasure from observing other people.

Understanding Voyeurism
Voyeurism is a practice in which an individual derives sexual pleasure observing other
people engaged in sexual acts, nude, in underwear, or dressed in whatever other way the
"voyeur" finds appealing. Differentiating innocent enjoyment of nudity from behavior that
is similar but deviant in other circumstances can sometimes be difficult.
Voyeuristic practices may take a number of forms but their characteristic feature is that
the voyeur does not directly interact with the object of their voyeurism (often unaware that
they are being observed), instead observing the act from a distance by peeping through
an opening or using aids such as binoculars, mirrors, cameras (including camera phones
and video cameras), etc. This stimulus sometimes becomes part of a masturbation
fantasy during or after the observation.
A subset of voyeurs derive sexual pleasure from looking under articles of clothing, an act
sometimes known as an "upskirt". This can be accomplished by camera or simply by a
chance viewing up skirts or shorts. Some voyeurs also derive pleasure by looking down
shirts and blouses and viewing breasts, particularly when a person is bending over. This
is commonly referred to as a "downblouse".

Paraphilias and Voyeurism

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, the prevailing resource for diagnostic criteria of paraphilias, describes the
essential feature of paraphilias as recurrent, intense, sexual urges and sexually arousing
fantasies generally involving nonhuman objects, the suffering or humiliation of oneself or
partner, or children or other non consenting persons.
The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for voyeurism are as follows:
The patient has recurrent and intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies
involving the act of observing an unsuspecting person who is naked, in the process of
disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity. The person must experience significant distress
or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning because of
the fantasies, urges, or behaviors. When severe, the act of peeping constitutes the
exclusive form of sexual activity. Onset usually is in persons younger than 15 years, and
the disorder tends to be chronic. The wide extent of voyeuristic tendencies in the general
population is evidenced in the common desire to indulge in exploitative activities such as
live shows and pornography (see sexual addiction and pornography addiction).
The DSM-IV-TR list of other paraphilias includes:
Exhibitionism: the recurrent urge or behavior to expose one's genitals to an unsuspecting
person.
Fetishism: the use of non-sexual or nonliving objects or part of a person's body to gain
sexual excitement. Partialism refers to fetishes specifically involving nonsexual parts of
the body.
Frotteurism: the recurrent urges or behavior of touching or rubbing against a non
consenting person.
Masochism: the recurrent urge or behavior of wanting to be humiliated, beaten, bound, or
otherwise made to suffer.
Sadism: the recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which the pain or humiliation of
the victim is sexually exciting.
Transvestite fetishism: a sexual attraction towards the clothing of the opposite gender.
Chronophilias such as Infantophilia: the sexual attraction to infants, Pedophilia: the sexual

Frotteurism: the recurrent urges or behavior of touching or rubbing against a non

consenting person.
Masochism: the recurrent urge or behavior of wanting to be humiliated, beaten, bound, or
otherwise made to suffer.
Sadism: the recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which the pain or humiliation of
the victim is sexually exciting.
Transvestite fetishism: a sexual attraction towards the clothing of the opposite gender.
Chronophilias such as Infantophilia: the sexual attraction to infants, Pedophilia: the sexual
attraction to prepubescent children, Gerontophilia: the sexual attraction to the elderly.
Other paraphilias: includes rarer behaviors such as telephone scatalogia (obscene phone
calls), necrophilia (corpses), partualism (exclusive focus on one part of the body),
zoophilia (animals), coprophilia (feces), klismaphilia (enemas), urophilia (urine).
For additional "paraphilias", visit the page List of Paraphilias.
A paraphilia is a sexual problems where the sexual arousal is in response to objects
or stimuli not associated with normal sexual behavior patterns and that may interfere
with the establishment of normal sexual relationships.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual List of Paraphilias

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, the prevailing resource for diagnostic criteria of paraphilias, describes the
essential feature of paraphilias as recurrent, intense, sexual urges and sexually
arousing fantasies generally involving nonhuman objects, the suffering or humiliation
of oneself or partner, or children or other non consenting persons. The DSM-IV-TR
describes the more commonly observed paraphilias and makes reference to several
other examples. People who experience one paraphilia may also experience other
paraphilias. Commonly, people who manifest paraphilias also exhibit personality
disorders, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and other substance abuse problems, or
affective disorders.
The DSM-IV-TR lists the following paraphilias:
Exhibitionism: the recurrent urge or behavior to expose one's genitals to an
unsuspecting person.
Fetishism: the use of non-sexual or nonliving objects or part of a person's body to gain
sexual excitement. Partialism refers to fetishes specifically involving non-sexual parts
of the body.
Frotteurism: the recurrent urges or behavior of touching or rubbing against a nonconsenting person.
Masochism: the recurrent urge or behavior of wanting to be humiliated, beaten,
bound, or otherwise made to suffer.
Sadism: the recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which the pain or humiliation
of the victim is sexually exciting.
Voyeurism: the recurrent urge or behavior to observe an unsuspecting person who is
naked, disrobing or engaging in sexual activities, or may not be sexual in nature at all.
Transvestite fetishism: a sexual attraction towards the clothing of the opposite gender.
Chronophilias such as Infantophilia: the sexual attraction to infants; Pedophilia: the
sexual attraction to prepubescent children; Gerontophilia: the sexual attraction to the
elderly; and sadism: the recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which the pain or
humiliation of the victim is sexually exciting.
Other paraphilias: this is a grouping of rarer paraphilias including such problems as
telephone scatalogia (obscene phone calls), necrophilia (corpses), partualism
(exclusive focus on one part of the body), zoophilia (animals), coprophilia (feces),
klismaphilia (enemas), urophilia (urine).
Special Note: Homosexuality (gay and lesbianism) was previously listed as a
paraphilia in the DSM-I and DSM-II, but this was declassified from both DSM-III and

Chronophilias such as Infantophilia: the sexual attraction to infants; Pedophilia: the

sexual attraction to prepubescent children; Gerontophilia: the sexual attraction to the
elderly; and sadism: the recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which the pain or
humiliation of the victim is sexually exciting.
Other paraphilias: this is a grouping of rarer paraphilias including such problems as
telephone scatalogia (obscene phone calls), necrophilia (corpses), partualism
(exclusive focus on one part of the body), zoophilia (animals), coprophilia (feces),
klismaphilia (enemas), urophilia (urine).
Special Note: Homosexuality (gay and lesbianism) was previously listed as a
paraphilia in the DSM-I and DSM-II, but this was declassified from both DSM-III and
DSM-IV, consistent with the change of attitude among psychiatrists and
psychologists. Homosexuality is no longer considered a paraphilia.

List of Paraphilias
The following list represents combinations of greek words, but does not necessarily
represent real paraphilias. Some of the sexual interests are well-known such as
pedophilia (sexual attraction to children) and sadism and masochism. Other items on
this list are rare, if they exist at all, and are not documented in any reliable source.
Abasiophilia: love of (or sexual attraction to) people who use leg braces or other
orthopaedic appliances
Acousticophilia: sexual arousal from certain sounds
Acrotomophilia: love of (or sexual attraction to) amputees
Agalmatophilia: sexual attraction to statues or mannequins or immobility
Algolagnia: sexual pleasure from pain
Amaurophilia: sexual arousal by a partner whom one is unable to see due to artificial
means, such as being blindfolded or having sex in total darkness. (See: sensory
deprivation)
Andromimetophilia: love of women dressed as men
Apodysophilia: desire to undress, see also nudism
Apotemnophilia: desire to have (or sexual arousal from having) a healthy appendage
(limb, digit, or male genitals) amputated
Aquaphilia: arousal from water and/or in watery environments, including bathtubs or
swimming pools
Aretifism: sexual attraction to people who are without footwear, in contrast to retifism
Asphyxiophilia: sexual attraction to asphyxia; also called breath control play; including
autoerotic asphyxiation; see medical warnings
Autogynephilia: love of oneself as a woman (also see Blanchard, Bailey, and
Lawrence theory for discussion on controversy)
Biastophilia: sexual pleasure from committing rape
Celebriphilia: pathological desire to have sex with a celebrity.
Coprophilia: sexual attraction to (or pleasure from) feces
Crush fetish: sexual arousal from seeing small creatures being crushed by members
of the opposite sex, or being crushed oneself
Dacryphilia: sexual pleasure in eliciting tears from others or oneself
Dendrophilia: sexual attraction to trees and other large plants, popularized by the
movie "Superstar" with Molly Shannon
Diaper fetishism: sexual arousal from diapers
Emetophilia (a.k.a. vomerophilia): sexual attraction to vomit
Ephebophilia (a.k.a. hebephilia): sexual attraction towards adolescents
Eproctophilia: sexual attraction to flatulence
Exhibitionism: sexual arousal through sexual behavior in view of third parties (also
includes the recurrent urge or behavior to expose one's genitals to an unsuspecting
person, known as indecent exposure)
Faunoiphilia: sexual arousal from watching animals mate
Fetishism: is the use of non-sexual or nonliving objects or part of a person's body to
gain sexual excitement. Examples include:
Balloon fetishism -- breast fetishism -- foot fetishism (podophilia) -- fur fetishism -leather fetishism -- lipstick fetishism -- medical fetishism -- panty fetishism -- robot
fetishism -- rubber fetishism -- shoe fetishism -- smoking fetishism -- spandex
fetishism -- dental braces fetishism -- transvestic fetishism (see below)
Frotteurism: sexual arousal from the recurrent urge or behavior of touching or rubbing
against a nonconsenting person
Galactophilia: sexual attraction to human milk or lactating women (incorrect term)
Gerontophilia: sexual attraction towards the elderly

Faunoiphilia: sexual arousal from watching animals mate

Fetishism: is the use of non-sexual or nonliving objects or part of a person's body to
gain sexual excitement. Examples include:
Balloon fetishism -- breast fetishism -- foot fetishism (podophilia) -- fur fetishism -leather fetishism -- lipstick fetishism -- medical fetishism -- panty fetishism -- robot
fetishism -- rubber fetishism -- shoe fetishism -- smoking fetishism -- spandex
fetishism -- dental braces fetishism -- transvestic fetishism (see below)
Frotteurism: sexual arousal from the recurrent urge or behavior of touching or rubbing
against a nonconsenting person
Galactophilia: sexual attraction to human milk or lactating women (incorrect term)
Gerontophilia: sexual attraction towards the elderly
Haematophilia: sexual attraction involving blood (either on a sex partner/attractive
person or the liquid itself; not to be confused with haemophilia, a genetic disorder of
the blood)
Harpaxophilia: sexual arousal from being the victim of a robbery or burglary
Hematolagnia: sexual attraction to blood
Hybristophilia: sexual arousal to people who have committed crimes, in particular
cruel or outrageous crimes
Infantilism: sexual pleasure from dressing, acting, or being treated as a baby
Katoptronophilia: sexual arousal from having sex in front of mirrors.
Klismaphilia: sexual pleasure from enemas
Lust murder: sexual arousal through committing murder
Macrophilia: sexual attraction to larger people and large things (including larger body
organs such as breasts and genitalia)
Maiesiophilia: sexual attraction to childbirth or pregnant women
Masochism: is the recurrent urge or behavior of wanting to be humiliated, beaten,
bound, or otherwise made to suffer
Microphilia: sexual attraction to smaller people and things of smaller size
Mysophilia: sexual attraction to soiled, dirty, foul or decaying material
Necrophilia: sexual attraction to corpses
Necrozoophilia: sexual attraction to the corpses or killings of animals (also known as
necrobestiality)
Nepiophilia: the same as infantophilia sexual attraction to children between the age of
0 - 3 yrs.
Pedophilia: sexual attraction to prepubescent children (British spelling: paedophilia)
Phalloorchoalgolagnia: sexual arousal by the experiencing of painful stimuli being
administered to the male genitals.
Pictophilia: sexual attraction to pictorial pornography/erotic art
Plushophilia: sexual attraction to stuffed toys or people in animal costume, such as
theme park characters
Pyrophilia: sexual arousal through watching, setting, hearing/talking/fantasizing about
fire
Retifism: sexual arousal from shoes
Sadism: sexual arousal from giving pain
Schediaphilia (aka Toonophilia): love (or sexual arousal) to cartoon characters/
situations
Sitophilia: sexual arousal from food
Somnophilia: sexual arousal from sleeping or unconscious people
Spectrophilia: sexual attraction to ghosts
Telephone scatologia: being sexually aroused by making obscene telephone calls
Teratophilia: sexual attraction to deformed or monstrous people
Transformation fetish: sexual arousal from depictions of transformations of people into
objects or other beings
Transvestic fetishism: is a sexual attraction towards the clothing of the opposite
gender (also known as transvestitism)
Trichophilia: love (or sexual arousal) from hair
Urolagnia: sexual attraction to urine
Vorarephilia: sexual attraction to being eaten by, and/or eating, another person or
creature
Voyeurism: sexual arousal through watching others having sex (also includes the
recurrent urge or behavior to observe an unsuspecting person who is naked, disrobing
or engaging in sexual activities, see peeping tom)
Xenophilia: sexual attraction to foreigners (in science fiction, can also mean sexual
attraction to aliens)
Zoophilia: emotional or sexual attraction to animals
Zoosadism: the sexual enjoyment of causing pain and suffering to animals
Note: Sadism and masochism are often grouped together, under sadomasochism, or
(as a lifestyle interest) BDSM. See also " bondage and discipline" and algolagnia.

Urolagnia: sexual attraction to urine

Vorarephilia: sexual attraction to being eaten by, and/or eating, another person or
creature
Voyeurism: sexual arousal through watching others having sex (also includes the
recurrent urge or behavior to observe an unsuspecting person who is naked, disrobing
or engaging in sexual activities, see peeping tom)
Xenophilia: sexual attraction to foreigners (in science fiction, can also mean sexual
attraction to aliens)
Zoophilia: emotional or sexual attraction to animals
Zoosadism: the sexual enjoyment of causing pain and suffering to animals
Note: Sadism and masochism are often grouped together, under sadomasochism, or
(as a lifestyle interest) BDSM. See also " bondage and discipline" and algolagnia.

Would You Like Personal Assistance?

If you really want help dealing with your feelings and emotions, changing your
behavior, and improving your life and the approach and office hours of typical
therapists and counselors do not fit your life style or personal needs, I may have a
solution.
By using very flexible office appointments, telephone consultations, email,
teleconferences, and the willingness to travel and meet with you personally in your
home, office, or other location, I can be available to help you anytime and anywhere.
Feel free to contact me now for your free initial consultation. Once you become an
existing client, you will be given a pager number where you can reach me whenever
you need.Communication allows you to understand what others say, sign, or write.
and for them to understand your responses. For most of us, the purpose of verbal
communication is to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously. It
is a process that can be fraught with error and with messages often being
misinterpreted.

Understanding Communication Problems

There are many specialized fields of focus in communication, including nonverbal
communication, verbal communication, and symbolic communication.
Nonverbal communication deals with facial expressions and body motions. 93% of
emotional meaning we take from other people is found in the persons facial
expressions and tone of voice, the other 7% is taken from what the person
actually says.
Verbal communication is when we communicate our message verbally to whoever
is receiving the message.
Symbolic communications are the things that we have given meaning to and that
represent a certain idea we have in place, for example, the American flag is a
symbols that represent freedom for the Americans themselves, or imperialism and
evil for some other countries.
For most of us, the purpose of verbal communication is to get your message
across to others clearly and unambiguously. It is a process that can be fraught
with error and with messages often being misinterpreted. When this isn't detected,
it can cause confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and
ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you send do
not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and
creating roadblocks that stand in the way of both personally and professional
goals.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many
individuals continue to struggle, unable to verbally communicate their thoughts
and ideas effectively. This inability often results in many interpersonal problems.
Problems with communication can occur at every stage of the communication
process. To deliver your messages effectively, you must break down the barriers
that exist in each of these stages of the communication process. If your message
is too long, too complicated, is disorganized, poorly expressed, or presented too
rapidly, you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted.
Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message.

Getting Help with Communicating

individuals continue to struggle, unable to verbally communicate their thoughts

and ideas effectively. This inability often results in many interpersonal problems.
Problems with communication can occur at every stage of the communication
process. To deliver your messages effectively, you must break down the barriers
that exist in each of these stages of the communication process. If your message
is too long, too complicated, is disorganized, poorly expressed, or presented too
rapidly, you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted.
Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message.

Getting Help with Communicating

In working with clients over the years I have found that good verbal and nonverbal
communication skills do not come naturally and that many of my clients need to
consciously learn and practice good communication skills.
Learning about the way you communicate with others and the barriers you
unintentionally create can help you in your personal and professional life. You
can learn to animate your voice and control its volume, learn to be more concise,
make meaningful eye contact, to effectively use gestures, and avoid sending
mixed messages. You can also learn how to make a more positive first
impression.
You can also learn how to make a more positive first impression. It takes just a
quick glance for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this
short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your
appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you
are dressed. These first impression are difficult to reverse or undo, so making a
first encounter positive is very important since it frequently sets the tone for the all
the relationships that follows. Accordingly, whether they are in your career or
personal life, its important to know how to create a good first impression.
With the assistance of a therapist or coach you may find that many of your
personal problems are founded in, or are complicated by, the lack of good verbal
and nonverbal communication skills. Then, after an accurate assessment of your
skills, you can learn new ones
Pornography addiction and sex addiction are two of the fastest growing addictions
in the U.S. Exact numbers are not known but it is estimated that more than
16,000,000 people in the U.S. suffer from compulsive sexual behavior.

Understanding Sex and Pornography Addiction

Addiction, as defined by the DSM 1V-TR of the American Psychiatric Association
(APA), can, and does, take place to a wide range of things other than drug and
alcohol use, Behaviors such as gambling, overeating, internet use, sex and
pornography all can become addictive. In all cases, the term addiction describes a
chronic pattern of behavior that continues despite the negative consequences that
result from engaging in the behavior. It is quite common for an addict to express
the desire to stop the behavior, but find that they are unable to stop the addictive
behavior.
Professionals in the field of addiction sometimes note the distinction between an
addiction with a physical dependence, characterized by symptoms of withdrawal,
and an addiction that is based on psychological dependence. Both a sexual
addiction and pornography addiction are psychological addictions. Addictions to
sex and pornography are found in all levels of society, in all levels of education, in
all professions, and in both men and women. In fact is appears that over a third of
sex addicts are women.
Many sex addicts and pornography addicts say their unhealthy behaviors started
with limited behaviors such as masturbation, visiting a strip bar, occasionally
viewing pornography, or engaging in an affair or other risky sexual behavior.
However, the true addict finds that this limited behavior has progressed to
increasingly uncomfortable and often risky and compulsive behavior.
A key feature of sexually related addictions is its obsessive, unmanageable nature:
a normal person might stare as they happen to drive past an attractive person, but
an addict will drive around the block to stare again; and perhaps again. Or they
may spend literally hours searching the net or reading pornography. Addicts can
spend an extraordinary amount of time and money on their habit.
Two other key factors are the powerlessness that the addict feels to control their

Many sex addicts and pornography addicts say their unhealthy behaviors started
with limited behaviors such as masturbation, visiting a strip bar, occasionally
viewing pornography, or engaging in an affair or other risky sexual behavior.
However, the true addict finds that this limited behavior has progressed to
increasingly uncomfortable and often risky and compulsive behavior.
A key feature of sexually related addictions is its obsessive, unmanageable nature:
a normal person might stare as they happen to drive past an attractive person, but
an addict will drive around the block to stare again; and perhaps again. Or they
may spend literally hours searching the net or reading pornography. Addicts can
spend an extraordinary amount of time and money on their habit.
Two other key factors are the powerlessness that the addict feels to control their
behavior and the rationalization the addict uses to explain and justify acting out.
The feelings of being powerless over a compulsive behavior and rationalizing the
behaviors often result in the addict's life becoming unmanageable. The addict acts
out the addiction and then often experiences guilt, shame, confusion, and feelings
of hopelessness and self-loathing.
Sex addicts and pornography addicts often try to stop their addictive behavior and
may be able to temporarily control their behavior. However, an addict who tries to
permanently stop the addiction on their own is usually not successful. Typically,
without professional intervention and help, a sex addiction or pornography
addiction will grow progressively worse.

Treatment of Sex and Pornography Addiction

It is important to distinguish between sexual addiction and sexual anorexia as both
can present similar behaviors, but effective treatment may be quite different. Aside
from depression, it also must be established whether or not the presenting
behaviors are due to obsessive-compulsive disorders, bipolar disorders, or some
other problem.
In treating my clients who have a sex addiction or addiction to pornography, I
typically help the then to develop specific behavior patterns to avoid the addictive
stimuli, explore the factors that led them to embrace unhealthy addictive sources of
pleasure, and then help them to develop health ways to find satisfaction. In
general, therapeutic approaches include traditional psychotherapy, cognitive
therapy, reality therapy, and behavioral therapy.
Religious and spiritual-based methods of treatment can often provide effective
help. Examples of these spiritually based treatments are Sex Addicts Anonymous,
Sexaholics Anonymous, and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous that are based on
the 12-step system of Alcoholics Anonymous. Other groups that provide similar
treatment without AA's religious component include LifeRing Secular Recovery and
Smart Recovery. Several other treatment modalities have proved to be effective,
including various forms of group therapy and individual psychotherapy that deal
with underlying psychological issues. The use of medication has proven to be very
effective.

Would You Like Personal Assistance?

If you really want help dealing with your feelings and emotions, changing your
behavior, and improving your life and the approach and office hours of typical
therapists and counselors do not fit your life style or personal needs, I may have a
solution.
By using very flexible office appointments, telephone consultations, email,
teleconferences, and the willingness to travel and meet with you personally in your
home, office, or other location, I can be available to help you anytime and
anywhere.
Feel free to contact me now for your free initial consultation. Once you become an
existing client, you will be given a pager number where you can reach me
whenever you need.

oyeur" redirects here. For other uses, see Voyeur (disambiguation).

"Mercury and Herse", scene from The Loves of the Gods by Gian Giacomo Caraglio,
showing Mercury, Herse, and Aglaulos

Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in

intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions usually
considered to be of a private nature.[1]

Feel free to contact me now for your free initial consultation. Once you become an
existing client, you will be given a pager number where you can reach me
whenever you need.

oyeur" redirects here. For other uses, see Voyeur (disambiguation).

"Mercury and Herse", scene from The Loves of the Gods by Gian Giacomo Caraglio,
showing Mercury, Herse, and Aglaulos

Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in

intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions usually
considered to be of a private nature.[1]
The principal characteristic of voyeurism is that the voyeur does not normally
interact directly with the subject of his/her interest, who is often unaware of
being observed. The essence of voyeurism is the observing but may also
involve the making of a secret photograph or video of the subject during an
intimate activity.
The term comes from the French voyeur which means "one who looks". A male
voyeur is commonly labeled as "Peeping Tom", a term which originates from the
Lady Godiva legend[citation needed]. However, that term is usually applied to a
male who observes somebody secretly and, generally, not in a public place.

Techniques[edit]
A voyeur may use a number of strategies to observe others without them being
aware. The voyeur may observe the subject from a distance, or use stealth to
observe the subject with the use of peep-holes, two-way mirrors, hidden cameras,
secret photography and other devices and strategies. Secret photography may
involve the use of normal cameras, but with the photographer being concealed.
Sometimes the camera itself may be disguised or concealed. The use of telephoto
lens enables the distance from the subject to provide concealment.
Although spy cameras small enough to fit inside a pocket-watch had existed since
the 1880s,[2] advances in miniaturization and electronics since the 1950s have
greatly aided the ability to conceal miniature cameras, and the quality and
affordability of tiny cameras (often called "spy cameras" or subminiature cameras)
has now greatly increased. Some consumer digital cameras are now so small that
in previous decades they would have qualified as "spy cameras", and digital
cameras of twenty megapixels or more are now being embedded in some mobile
camera phones. The majority of mobile phones in use are camera phones.
Certain image capturing devices are capable of producing images through
materials that are opaque to visible light, including clothing. These devices form
images by using electromagnetic radiation outside the visible range. Infrared and
terahertz-wave cameras are capable of creating images through clothing, though
these images differ from what would be created with visible light.[3][4]

Medical issues[edit]
Definition[edit]
Voyeurism

Classification and external resources

ICD-10

F65.3

ICD-9

302.82

The American Psychiatric Association has classified certain voyeuristic fantasies,

urges and behavior patterns as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(DSM-IV) if the person has acted on these urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies
cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.[5] It is described as a disorder of
sexual preference in the ICD-10.[6] The DSM-IV defines voyeurism as the act of
looking at "unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who are naked, in the
process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity".[7] The diagnosis would not be
given to people who experience typical sexual arousal simply by seeing nudity or
sexual activity.

Historical perspectives[edit]

The American Psychiatric Association has classified certain voyeuristic fantasies,

urges and behavior patterns as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(DSM-IV) if the person has acted on these urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies
cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.[5] It is described as a disorder of
sexual preference in the ICD-10.[6] The DSM-IV defines voyeurism as the act of
looking at "unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who are naked, in the
process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity".[7] The diagnosis would not be
given to people who experience typical sexual arousal simply by seeing nudity or
sexual activity.

Historical perspectives[edit]
There is relatively little academic research regarding voyeurism. When a review
was published in 1976 there were only 15 available resources.[8] While there has
been more research since then, there is still little information on the topic. This is
particularly surprising considering the increase in use of the term voyeur and the
group of people it can encompass. Historically the term voyeur was used
specifically to describe people who fit within the DSM description. However society
has accepted the use of the term voyeur as a description of anyone who views the
intimate lives of others, even outside of a sexual context.[9] This term is specifically
used regarding reality television and other media which allow people to view the
personal lives of others. This is a reversal from the historical perspective, moving
from a term which describes a specific population in detail, to one which describes
the general population vaguely.
One of the few historical theories on the causes of voyeurism comes from
psychoanalytic theory. Psychoanalytic theory proposes that voyeurism results from
a failure to accept castration anxiety and as a result a failure to identify with the
father.[7]

Prevalence[edit]
Voyeurism has high prevalence rates in most studied populations. Voyeurism was
initially believed to only be present in a small portion of the population. This
perception changed when Alfred Kinsey discovered that 30% of men prefer coitus
with the lights on.[7] This behavior is not considered voyeurism by today's
diagnostic standards, but there was little differentiation between normal and
pathological behavior at the time. Subsequent research showed that 65% of men
had engaged in peeping, which suggests that this behavior is widely spread
throughout the population.[7] Congruent with this, research found voyeurism to be
the most common sexual law-breaking behavior in both clinical and general
populations.[10] In the same study it was found that 42% of college males, who had
never been convicted of a crime, had watched others in sexual situations. An
earlier study indicates that 54% of men have voyeuristic fantasies, and that 42%
have tried voyeurism.[11] In a national study of Sweden it was found that 7.7% of
the population (both men and women) had engaged in voyeurism at some point.[12]
It is also believed that voyeurism occurs up to 150 times more frequently than
police reports indicate.[12] This same study also indicates that there are high levels
of co-occurrence between voyeurism and exhibitionism, finding that 63% of voyeurs
also report exhibitionist behavior.[12]

Characteristics of voyeurs[edit]
Due to the prevalence of voyeurism in society, the people who engage in
voyeuristic behaviors are diverse. However, there are some trends regarding who
is likely to engage in voyeurism. Please note, that these statistics apply only to
those who qualify as voyeurs under the definition of the DSM, and not the broader
modern concept of voyeurism as discussed earlier in this article.
Early research indicated that voyeurs were more mentally healthy than other
groups with paraphilias.[8] Compared to the other groups studied, it was found that
voyeurs were unlikely to be alcoholics or drug users. More recent research shows
that, compared to the general population, voyeurs were moderately more likely to
have psychological problems, use alcohol and drugs, and have higher sexual
interest generally.[12] This study also shows that voyeurs have a greater number of
sexual partners per year, and are more likely to have had a same-sex partner than
[12]

is likely to engage in voyeurism. Please note, that these statistics apply only to
those who qualify as voyeurs under the definition of the DSM, and not the broader
modern concept of voyeurism as discussed earlier in this article.
Early research indicated that voyeurs were more mentally healthy than other
groups with paraphilias.[8] Compared to the other groups studied, it was found that
voyeurs were unlikely to be alcoholics or drug users. More recent research shows
that, compared to the general population, voyeurs were moderately more likely to
have psychological problems, use alcohol and drugs, and have higher sexual
interest generally.[12] This study also shows that voyeurs have a greater number of
sexual partners per year, and are more likely to have had a same-sex partner than
general populations.[12] Both older and newer research found that voyeurs typically
have a later age of first sexual intercourse.[8][12] However, other research found no
difference in sexual history between voyeurs and non-voyeurs.[11] Voyeurs who are
not also exhibitionists tend to be from a higher socioeconomic status than those
who do show exhibitionist behavior.[12]
Research shows that like almost all paraphilias voyeurism is more common in men
than in women.[12] However, research has found that men and women both report
roughly the same likelihood that they would hypothetically engage in voyeurism.[13]
There appears to be a greater gender difference when actually presented with the
opportunity to perform voyeurism. There is very little research done on voyeurism in
women, so very little is known on the subject. One of the few studies deals with a
case study of a woman who also had schizophrenia. This limits the degree to which
it can generalize to normal populations.[14]

Current perspectives[edit]
Lovemap theory suggests that voyeurism exists because looking at naked others
shifts from an ancillary sexual behavior, to a primary sexual act.[13] This results in a
displacement of sexual desire making the act of watching someone the primary
means of sexual satisfaction.
Voyeurism has also been linked with obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). When
treated by the same approach as OCD, voyeuristic behaviors significantly
decrease.[15]

Treatment[edit]
Historically voyeurism has been treated in a variety of ways. Psychoanalytic, group
psychotherapy and shock aversion approaches have all been attempted with
limited success.[8] There is some evidence that shows that pornography can be
used as a form of treatment for voyeurism. This is based on the idea that countries
with pornography censorship have high amounts of voyeurism.[16] Additionally
shifting voyeurs from voyeuristic behavior, to looking at graphic pornography, to
looking at the nudes in Playboy has been successfully used as a treatment.[17]
These studies show that pornography can be used as a means of satisfying
voyeuristic desires without breaking the law.
Voyeurism has also been successfully treated with a mix of anti-psychotics and
antidepressants. However the patient in this case study had a multitude of other
mental health problems. Intense pharmaceutical treatment may not be required for
most voyeurs.[18]
There has also been success in treating voyeurism through using treatment
methods for obsessive compulsive disorder. There have been multiple instances of
successful treatment of voyeurism through putting patients on fluoxetine and
treating their voyeuristic behavior as a compulsion.[9][15]

Criminology[edit]

Non-consensual voyeurism is a form of sexual abuse.[19][20][21][22] When the

interest in a particular subject is obsessive, the behavior may be described as
stalking.
The United States FBI assert that some individuals who engage in "nuisance"
offenses (such as voyeurism) may also have a propensity for violence based on
behaviors of serious sex offenders.[23] An FBI researcher has suggested that
voyeurs are likely to demonstrate some characteristics that are common, but not
universal, among serious sexual offenders who invest considerable time and effort

treating their voyeuristic behavior as a compulsion.

Criminology[edit]

Non-consensual voyeurism is a form of sexual abuse.[19][20][21][22] When the

interest in a particular subject is obsessive, the behavior may be described as
stalking.
The United States FBI assert that some individuals who engage in "nuisance"
offenses (such as voyeurism) may also have a propensity for violence based on
behaviors of serious sex offenders.[23] An FBI researcher has suggested that
voyeurs are likely to demonstrate some characteristics that are common, but not
universal, among serious sexual offenders who invest considerable time and effort
in the capturing of a victim (or image of a victim); careful, methodical planning
devoted to the selection and preparation of equipment; and often meticulous
attention to detail.[24]
Little to no research has been done into the demographics of voyeurs.

Legal status[edit]

Voyeurism is not a crime in common law. In common law countries it is only a crime
if made so by legislation. In Canada, for example, voyeurism was not a crime when
the case Frey v. Fedoruk et al. arose in 1947. In that case, in 1950, the Supreme
Court of Canada held that courts could not criminalize voyeurism by classifying it as
a breach of the peace and that Parliament would have to specifically outlaw it. On
November 1, 2005, this was done when section 162 was added to the Canadian
Criminal Code, declaring voyeurism to be a sexual offense.[25]
In some cultures, voyeurism is considered to be a sex crime.[citation needed] In the
United Kingdom, non-consensual voyeurism became a criminal offence on May 1,
2004.[26] In the English case of R v Turner (2006),[27] the manager of a sports
centre filmed four women taking showers. There was no indication that the footage
had been shown to anyone else or distributed in any way. The defendant pleaded
guilty. The Court of Appeal confirmed a sentence of nine months' imprisonment to
reflect the seriousness of the abuse of trust and the traumatic effect on the victims.
Another English case in 2009, R v Wilkins (2010),[28][29] resulted in a man who
filmed his intercourse with five of his lovers for his own private viewing, being
sentenced to imprisonment for eight months and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders
Register, where his name would remain for ten years.
In a more recent English case in 2013, Mark Lancaster was found guilty and
sentenced for voyeurism, after having tricked an 18-year-old student into traveling
to a rented flat in Milton Keynes, where he filmed her with four secret cameras
dressing up as a schoolgirl and posing for photographs before having sex with her.
[30]

In the United States, video voyeurism is an offense in nine states and may require
the convicted person to register as a sex offender.[31] The original case that led to
the criminalization of voyeurism has been made into a television movie called Video
Voyeur and documents the criminalization of secret photography. Criminal
voyeurism statutes are related to invasion of privacy laws[32] but are specific to
unlawful surreptitious surveillance without consent and unlawful recordings
including the broadcast, dissemination, publication, or selling of recordings
involving places and times when a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy
and a reasonable supposition they are not being photographed or filmed by "any
mechanical, digital or electronic viewing device, camera or any other instrument
capable of recording, storing or transmitting visual images that can be utilized to
observe a person."[33]
Saudi Arabia banned the sale of camera phones nationwide in April 2004, but
reversed the ban in December 2004. Some countries, such as South Korea and
Japan, require all camera phones sold in their country to make a clearly audible
sound whenever a picture is being taken. Secret photography by law enforcement
authorities is called surveillance and is not considered to be voyeurism, though it
may be unlawful or regulated in some countries.
In 2013, Indian Parliament made amendments to the Indian Penal Code,
introducing voyeurism as a criminal offence.[34] A man committing the offence of

capable of recording, storing or transmitting visual images that can be utilized to

observe a person."[33]
Saudi Arabia banned the sale of camera phones nationwide in April 2004, but
reversed the ban in December 2004. Some countries, such as South Korea and
Japan, require all camera phones sold in their country to make a clearly audible
sound whenever a picture is being taken. Secret photography by law enforcement
authorities is called surveillance and is not considered to be voyeurism, though it
may be unlawful or regulated in some countries.
In 2013, Indian Parliament made amendments to the Indian Penal Code,
introducing voyeurism as a criminal offence.[34] A man committing the offence of
voyeurism would be liable for imprisonment not less than one year and which may
extend up to three years for the first offence, and shall also be liable to fine and for
any subsequent conviction would be liable for imprisonment for not less than three
year and which may extend up to seven years and with fine.

In popular culture[edit]
Photography[edit]
Some fine art photographers such as Richard Kern and Don Chase have displayed a
fascination with the forms of secret voyeuristic photography.

Films[edit]
Voyeurism is a common plot device in both serious (e.g. Rear Window, Klute, Blue
Velvet, Disturbia) and humorous (e.g. Porky's, Animal House, Semi-Pro, Gregory's Girl,
American Pie) films. Voyeuristic photography has been a central element of the misen-scene of films such as Michael Powell's Peeping Tom, and Michelangelo
Antonioni's Blowup.
The 2002 television movie Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story is based on a true
story about a woman who was secretly videotaped, and subsequently helped to get
laws against voyeurism passed in parts of the United States.[35]
Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, As She Goes to
Bed by William Etty. This image illustrates Herodotus's version of the tale of Gyges (see:
candaulism).

Non-pornographic reality television programs such as Survivor and The Real World are
prime examples of voyeurism, where viewers (the voyeur) are granted an intimate
interaction with a subject group or individual. Although not necessarily "voyeurism" in
its original definition, as individuals in these given situations are aware of their
audience, the concept behind "reality TV" is to allow unscripted social interaction with
limited outside interference or influence. As such, the term still maintains its sexual
connotations.
Manga and light novels[edit]
The manga Colorful and Nozoki Ana are both devoted almost entirely to voyeurism.
Also, in the light novel series Baka to Test to Shkanj, Kta Tsuchiya is subject to
voyeurism, explaining why he is referred to as "Voyeur".

Courtship disorder
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Courtship disorder is a theoretical construct in sexology in which a certain set of
paraphilias are seen as specific instances of anomalous courtship instincts in men.[1]
The specific paraphilias are exhibitionism, voyeurism, telephone scatologia,
toucherism, frotteurism, and biastophilia (paraphilic rape). According to the courtship
disorder hypothesis, there is a species-typical courtship process in human males
consisting of four phases, and anomalies in different phases result in one of these
paraphilic sexual interests. That is, instead of being independent paraphilias, this

theory sees these sexual interests as individual symptoms of a single underlying

disorder.[2]
Contents [hide]
1 Courtship disorder hypothesis
2 Evidence and acceptance of the theory
3 See also
4 References

Courtship disorder hypothesis[edit]

According to the courtship disorder hypothesis, there is a species-typical courtship
process in humans consisting of four phases.[3][4] These phases are: "(1) looking for
and appraising potential sexual partners; (2) pretactile interaction with those partners,
such as by smiling at and talking to them; (3) tactile interaction with them, such as by
embracing or petting; (4) and then sexual intercourse."[5]
The associations between these phases and these paraphilias were first outlined by
Kurt Freund,[6][7] the originator of the theory: A disturbance of the search phase of
courtship manifests as voyeurism, a disturbance of the pretactile interaction phase
manifests as exhibitionism or telephone scatologia, a disturbance of the tactile
interaction phase manifests as toucheurism or frotteurism, and the absence of the
courtship behavior phases manifests as paraphilic rape (i.e., biastophilia). According to
Freund, these paraphilias "can be conceptualized as a preference for a pattern of
behavior or erotic fantasy in which one of these four phases of sexual interaction is
intensified and distorted to such an extent that it appears to be a caricature of the
normal, while the remaining phases are either omitted entirely or are retained only in a
vestigial way."[8]
Freund noted that troilism (a paraphilia for observing ones sexual/romantic partner
sexually interacting with a third party, usually unbeknownst to the third party)[9] might
also be a courtship disorder,[8][10] troilism being a variant of voyeurism.
Appropriate behaviors depend on the social and cultural context, including time and
place. Some behaviors that are unacceptable under most circumstances, such as
public nudity or sexual contact between dancers, may be accepted or even
encouraged during celebrations like Carnival or Mardi Gras. Where such cultural
festivals alter normative courtship behaviors, the signs of courtship disorder may be
masked or altered.[11]

Evidence and acceptance of the theory[edit]

Paraphilias within the Courtship Disorder spectrum co-occur with each other more
frequently than with paraphilias outside the courtship disorder spectrum.[12][13][14][15]
Courtship disorder offers an underlying common cause for these paraphilias in men to
explain this co-occurrence.[6][7]
Courtship disorder is widely cited by sexologists and forensic scientists as one of the
predominant models of the paraphilias.[16][17][18][19][20] Murphy and Page wrote that
"The 'Courtship Disorder Theory' of Freund is one of the only theories specific to
exhibitionism."[21] According to Lavin (2008), "Freund's theory, more than the others,
makes it clear that the ordering of activities ... has clinical significance."[22]
Another theoretically based taxonomy of the paraphilias was proposed by John Money,
who described the range of paraphilic interests as love maps.[23]

boarded the train at my station, and sat down. Opposite me, there was a beautiful pair
of legs encased in silvery stockings. I followed the legs upward and caught the eye of
their owner a slightly plump, very attractive blonde.
Voyeurism is a form of sexual perversion (paraphilia) which involves "peeping" at other
people who don't know you're watching them. Anyone can be a voyeur.
Read: What you need to know about paraphilia
The voyeur does not look different to any other person in the street, says sexologist
Dr Eugene Viljoen.
Voyeurism usually begins at around the age of 15, and it occurs most commonly
among males. What the victim of the voyeur is wearing is irrelevent: they may be
covered from head to toe, may be in the process of disrobing, or may be naked.
The sexual gratification stems from the secrecy of the act, and the suspicions of the
victim, says Dr Viljoen.
Sexual arousal
Voyeurs become aroused, and may masturbate during voyeuristic activity, or
afterwards, while recalling what they have seen.
The victim is unlikely to be physically approached. Though the voyeur will often
fantasise about a sexual encounter, rarely will he or she do anything to change the
fantasy into a reality. Any danger tends to apply to the voyeur himself:
The behaviour can become dangerous if the compulsion to view interferes with his
daily life, and interferes with his interactions with family, friends or partners, according
to Dr Viljoen.
Connected to voyeurism is the reading of pornography, the visiting of pornographic
internet sites and the viewing of real life sex scenes."
I was obsessed by those legs. I peeped again, and saw how her legs were now
crossed high on the thigh. I could see the long curve of the underside of her thigh.
Diagnosing voyeurism
The following criteria are useful indicators:
recurrent, intensely sexually arousing behaviour over a period of six months
behaviour involving obsessive observation of unsuspecting persons who are
lightly dressed, undressing, or naked
the creation of fantasies while observing
significant distress caused by the onset of sexual urges brought on by the act of
voyeurism
I was beginning to get an erection, but could not look away. She wiggled in her seat a
bit, and then, as if she was uncomfortable , uncrossed and recrossed her legs, giving
me a glimpse of her crotch.
Voyeurism is an illegal act, yet the number of arrests is low. This is because most
voyeurs are highly secretive, and are rarely discovered. This has also made it a difficult
paraphilia to study and observe.
Treatment
Treatment of voyeurism usually involves psychotherapy, which may help to identify the
origin of the behaviour, and perhaps help the subject change the behaviour.
Behavioural and group therapy can also be implemented, and may help in some
cases.
There are also certain medications which assist with the dampening of compulsive
thinking associated with paraphilia, and usually involves the prescription of hormone
treatment to help suppress intense sexual urges or behaviours. These courses usually
need to follow a long-term plan to be most effective.
I dont know why I do it, but its a part of me I cant let go. I dont think Id ever take it

further though, I just like to watch, you know? I have always been a voyeur, and will
always be (Quotes taken from an anonymous confession from a voyeur)