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| Stephen J. Hucker, MB, BS, FRCP(C), FRCPsych Consulting Forensic Psychiatrist, Professor, Law & Mental Health Program, University of Toronto |
What is Sexual Sadism?
"It is important to distinguish between "Sadism", which is the term used in conjunction with Sadistic Personality Disorder, and "Sexual Sadism" which may be associated with SPD yet is classified as one of the paraphilias because of the specific sexual component. The two are most certainly related and an understanding of sadism is paramount to the understanding of sexual sadism but this particular section deals only with the paraphilia of sexual sadism.
Sexual sadism refers to the derivation of sexual pleasure from the infliction of pain, suffering and/or humiliation upon another person. The pain and suffering of the victim, which may be both physical and psychological, is pivotal to the sexual arousal and pleasure. The ICD-10 (World Health Organization, 1992) defines sadism as "preference for sexual activity that involves bondage or infliction of pain or humiliation."
"It is important to distinguish between "Sadism", which is the term used in conjunction with Sadistic Personality Disorder, and "Sexual Sadism" which may be associated with SPD yet is classified as one of the paraphilias because of the specific sexual component. The two are most certainly related and an understanding of sadism is paramount to the understanding of sexual sadism but this particular section deals only with the paraphilia of sexual sadism.
Sexual sadism refers to the derivation of sexual pleasure from the infliction of pain, suffering and/or humiliation upon another person. The pain and suffering of the victim, which may be both physical and psychological, is pivotal to the sexual arousal and pleasure. The ICD-10 (World Health Organization, 1992) defines sadism as "preference for sexual activity that involves bondage or infliction of pain or humiliation."
Official Criteria:
Current diagnostic criterion from the DSM-IV-TR requires the following criteria be met:
Current diagnostic criterion from the DSM-IV-TR requires the following criteria be met:
1. Recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours involving acts (real, not simulated) in which the psychological or physical suffering (including humiliation) of the victim is sexually exciting for the person, have been present for at least 6 months.2. The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours cause clinically significant stress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of function.
While the criteria may appear to imply that the impairment must be perceived by the person in question to be applied, this is not the case. Ie. sadistic behaviour resulting in harming someone would be interpreted as an impairment of function.
Historical Context:
The term "sadism" derives from French medical literature of the early 19th century in connection with the writings of the Marquis de Sade whose novels depict scenes of torture, cruelty and killing for erotic purposes.
Krafft-Ebing, in his 1886 Psychopathia Sexualis, later defined sadism as: "The experience of sexual, pleasurable sensations (including orgasm) produced by acts of cruelty, bodily punishment afflicted on one's person or when witnessed in others, be they animals or human beings. It may also consist of an innate desire to humiliate, hurt, wound or even destroy others in order, thereby, to create sexual pleasure in ones self" (p.109).
The term "sadism" derives from French medical literature of the early 19th century in connection with the writings of the Marquis de Sade whose novels depict scenes of torture, cruelty and killing for erotic purposes.
Krafft-Ebing, in his 1886 Psychopathia Sexualis, later defined sadism as: "The experience of sexual, pleasurable sensations (including orgasm) produced by acts of cruelty, bodily punishment afflicted on one's person or when witnessed in others, be they animals or human beings. It may also consist of an innate desire to humiliate, hurt, wound or even destroy others in order, thereby, to create sexual pleasure in ones self" (p.109).
The term was more fully developed in the literature over the next 100 years to the point of today's comprehensive definition:
- Schrenck-Notzing (1895) coined the term algolagnia (pain craving) and divided the category into active and passive forms, conceptualizing them as two poles of the same disorder (ie sadism and masochism respectively).
- Eulenberg (1911) expanded this definition to include psychological as well as physical pain (ie. humiliation).
- Karpman (1954, p. 10) proposed that, in the sadist, "the will to power is sexually accentuated" and that "he revels in the fear, anger and the humiliation of the victim." Hence, pain is not that important in and of itself but because it symbolizes power and control.
- Fromm (1977) suggested that the "core of sadism ... is the passion to have absolute and unrestricted control over living beings, ... whether an animal, child, a man or a woman. To force someone to endure pain or humiliation without being able to defend himself is one of the manifestations of absolute control, but it is by no means the only one. The person who has complete control over another living being makes this being into his thing, his property, while he becomes the other being's god" (p.383-4). Dietz, Hazelwood and Warren (1990, p. 165) reported a strikingly similar personal account given by a sadist.
- Brittain (1970) and MacCulloch, Snowden, Wood & Miller (1983) also emphasized the central importance of the eroticized feelings of power and control.
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"Sexual Bondage" and "took off" and became a trend in Ohio and in other states for some reason, which have to do with Sadism in general and its many applications. This is an area that related to 'trends' such as putting people on mental health disability and SSI and trapping them, to enable foriegn operatives and terrorism to strike over and over, and to create the hated US trend in line with the saying "The rich get richer, the poor get poorer". The point is that in the newsworthy areas, a new CNN noted country, Syria, was picked up as part of a worldwide tour with a crown and a crowd saying something like "We need to take action against people who harmed us" and "The Government stinks". Libyan protestors are in line with many United States protestors for above mentioned reasons and many more.
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| Three Love cards and another interprettion of Love |
Last night there was a real live courtroom drama on television in the evening. The case centered around this type of Sadomasochism, with the added dimension of a cult of young people who were seeking the approval of others in their clique. Bikers and others also have a tendency to get involved in Sexual Sadism - aka 'tieing people up with ropes and etc" in an effort to have gratifying sexual relationships in their cliques.
"Something to think about"
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