Chapter 11 - Beyond Conventional Desire

Summary

A paraphilia is sexual behaviour that lies outside conventional bounds, such as exhibitionism. They are of interest in that lust killers commonly also exhibit paraphilias, and they can form an association with killing. Voyeurism sometimes features in association with lust killing, as a gateway activity. A fetish describes sexual arousal to an inanimate object, while a partialism describes sexual arousal to particular body features, such as feet. Serial lust killers often take objects (such as items of clothing) from their victims, in an attempt to recreate the killing, accompanied by masturbation. Sometimes a body part is taken, such as a breast. The term ‘picquerism’ refers to sexual arousal derived from cutting the skin. There are some features in common between non-lethal rape and lust killing. Rape sometimes serves as a gateway activity for lust killing. Some men are attracted to necrophilia without showing violence towards their target.