What is Voyeurism?

Voyeurism is the observation of the intimate, mostly sexual, acts of other people. An irresistible predilection to spy on other people, their naked bodies and intimate actions - what is it, an innocuous attraction or sexual frustration?

Voyeurism includes a wide range of clinical conditions. Some of them are classified as normal, others - perverted. In most cases, it all depends on how pronounced deviations in behavior.

The desire to watch adults, their sexual acts or genitals occurs in a quarter of children under 7 years of age, and at the age of 7-11 years it occurs in 30-35% of boys and about 6% in girls. Similar entertainments at this age do not represent something threatening, rather, on the contrary, they promote normal sexual development( of course, if the child does not exceed reasonable limits).In this case, peeping can be considered a research activity: a child tries to consider adults not for the sake of pleasure, but for self-knowledge.

In adulthood, the attraction to secret observation of the intimate actions of other people is no longer a result of a natural desire for new impressions, but becomes an obsession. In case of an unfavorable outcome, such a need supersedes all other forms of sexual life, creating a clinical condition of the pathology, which belongs to the category of disorders of sexual preferences.

Versions of Voyeurism

Modern experts are seriously concerned that recently they are increasingly faced with patients who are unable to perform sexual acts without additional stimulus. Nowadays, the catalyst for the appearance of an erection and the subsequent ejaculation of most cases is the contemplation of a surrogate object on the screen. In other words - without the videos XXX these patients are no longer capable of close contacts with a real partner. However, dependence on pornography is not the only form of voyeurism. Variants of its manifestations are the diversions of variety shows and striptease, various erotic shows and photo galleries.

Elements of hidden peeping are present in both "male" and "female" glossy magazines, and even in beauty contests. On the other hand, it is very important for the voyeur to be sure that the object of hidden observation does not guess that they are being spied on from outside. Sometimes an irresistible thirst to see forbidden pushes a person to peek at the windows of women's dormitories, toilets, hospitals, sports and beach locker rooms. It can be noted that today no special effort is required to see the forbidden. Take for example the project "Behind the Glass," which earned high ratings in the shortest possible time, and its first audience was young people aged 15-24( 25%), mature people aged 41-55( 32%) and elderly( about 19%).The ratio of male to female among the spies was almost equal. Among the spectators were representatives of different social groups: students working in various fields, non-working, and the income level was dominated by the middle class. Obviously, in today's world, voyeurism is no longer regarded as a sexual disorder, but is regarded as a normal, healthy phenomenon that covers men and women literally at any age.

The reason for the development of voyeurism

If you perceive craving for peeping not as a norm, but as a breakdown of sexual preference, then where lies its root cause? Experts believe that the basis for this deviation lies in the appearance in childhood or adolescence, in a fixed conditional reflex relationship between sexual arousal and visual perception of the sexual act or genitals. Such connections have two-sided conductivity, that is, with the appearance of subsequent sexual arousal, past images associated with sexual arousal at the level of associations are reflexively revived. Simply put, the mechanism is roughly the same as when a feeling of hunger in the head there are visual images of delicious food. On the other hand, in itself such a bundle is absolutely natural and harmless, only if it does not displace all other options for achieving sexual pleasure. In such cases, this is already a pathology.

What does a voyeurism give a person?

The main thing is the sharpness of feelings. Since anonymous presence in intimate scenes involves a constant fear of being detected. This experience is so strong that it can surpass the sensations of ordinary sexual intercourse. In addition, spying can also be a protective function that allows the observer to stay away from active activities. Everyone knows that many voyeurs are shy, anxious people, not confident in their abilities and unduly susceptible to guilt. Some of them are afraid to enter into intimate relations because of fear of fiasco or condemnation, why they prefer to be on the other side of the keyhole.

Who spies more often - men or women?

Although men spy more often, it is mistaken to assume that voyeurism is exclusively male. Women also make objects of lust from men. They look at them in the street, in the gym, at parties. Women's companies discuss not only the size of the income of a common acquaintance, but also his figure, the chin's masculinity, the curvature of his legs, and so on. And when a woman looks at a famous actor or an athlete, she is attracted not by the ratio of his intelligence and not by the prospect of marrying him, she values ​​him as a man whom he wants to touch. But this is real voyeurism.

However, the types of male and female hidden peeping are slightly different. In most cases, men will have a close relationship between, for example, watching a pornographic movie and gaining sexual pleasure from this process. Women, if I may say so, a more subtle and at the same time complex mental organization. Therefore, watching intimate scenes is refracted by a prism of imagination, various associations and emotions. Because of this, and the effect of secretive action is not necessarily an erotic discharge, it may be a banal conversation with friends and an exchange of impressions.

Is it necessary to treat voyeurism?

Peeping is typical for some teenagers, as well as for mature men and women. However, it becomes a mental deviation only if this phenomenon takes the preferred place in sexual activity. If a person experiences difficulties in establishing sexual contacts and enjoys only the latent observation of others, he must seriously think. Passion for peeping can turn into irrepressible, pathological, irresistible, time consuming to find a suitable object. This state of affairs is not normal, therefore the described state needs correction.

The main ways to treat voyeurism:

• psychoanalysis;
• behavioral therapy;
• psychotherapy.

Conclusion

Voyeurs use people as sexual objects without their consent. Those who are spied on, this can cause psychological discomfort. In addition, voyeurs often secretly produce a video recording of other intimate acts. These actions are classified as petty hooliganism, provided by the Code of Administrative Offenses. Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that from an administrative offense to criminal prosecution in this case is not at all far away, because a voyeur can be mistaken for a pervert, for example, for a rapist or murderer. In any case, in case of "unsuccessful hunting", trials are pending in court. In addition, the prospect of litigation related to moral harm is unlikely to attract anyone.