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Evidence of Primary, Secondary, and Collateral Paraphilias Left at Serial Murder and Sex Offender Crime Scenes

NCJ Number
220436
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 52 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2007 Pages: 1194-1201
Author(s)
John H. White Ph.D.
Date Published
September 2007
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study analyzes the features of three case studies that illustrate how paraphilias (sexual deviations of various types) influence criminal behaviors and can determine the kinds of evidence that may be left at crime scenes where sex offenses occur.
Abstract
In the first case, the offender enaged in the paraphilias of voyeurism (having the victim remove her own clothes) and trichophila (removing chunks of hair from the victim as a souvenir), and engaging in coerced vaginal sexual intercourse from behind the victim. Recognizing all of the sexual deviations manifested in the course of a sexual offense has investigative implications. Detectives should look for similar types of behaviors recorded for other sex crimes for which there are known suspects, and information about individuals who engage in such behaviors should be solicited from the public. In the second case, the offender engaged in the paraphilias of picqurism (stabbing or cutting victims of sexual attacks), mysophila (performing a sex act that the normal person would consider disgusting), and attempted paraphilic rape intended to degrade the victim. In the third case, the offender manifested a wide range of paraphilias, including pogophilia (fascination with women's buttocks), depiliation (fascination with shaven vaginas), pedophilia (attraction to young girls and young boys under the age of 12), masochism (arousal through bondage and discipline), and mysophilia or urophilia (fascination with elimination functions and/or urine). These sexual behaviors and interests were expressed through telephone calls to the victim in which she was given instructions under threats that would satisfy his sexual urges. Evidence of such behaviors at crime scenes and from victims' information can aid in identifying suspects, since paraphilias by definition are repetitive behaviors over which the offender has weak controls. 61 references

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