Voyeurism
Voyeurism is defined by the American Psychiatric Association in their Diagnostic Manual (DSM IV), as: “…the act of observing unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who are naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity. The act of looking (peeping) is for the purpose of achieving sexual excitement, and generally no sexual activity with the observed person is sought.”
Many people who engage in this (often illegal) activity spend hours in very uncomfortable positions and places in the hopes that they might witness some nudity or sexual activity. Fantasy is often a driving force in this behavior. Masturbation is often the preferred ending to this behavior (either at the time of witnessing, or later to the memory or the fantasy of what they saw or wanted to see). This activity can occur in many different venues (showers, under doors, tanning salons, walking in on someone, windows, use of cameras or mirrors, pretending to drop an object and looking up skirts or in positions over a person to look down shirts, or under stairs to look up dresses.
As with all of these behaviors, this one is not gender specific. Many women have been engaged in voyeuristic activities, but like exhibitionism, society is much more tolerant of female voyeurism than it is of the male version. This activity carries a high addiction potential due to the high level of risk involved in the activity. This gives an added “rush” to the sexual arousal that goes along with seeing nudity or sexual activity.
Voyeurism is defined by the American Psychiatric Association in their Diagnostic Manual (DSM IV), as: “…the act of observing unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who are naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity. The act of looking (peeping) is for the purpose of achieving sexual excitement, and generally no sexual activity with the observed person is sought.”
Many people who engage in this (often illegal) activity spend hours in very uncomfortable positions and places in the hopes that they might witness some nudity or sexual activity. Fantasy is often a driving force in this behavior. Masturbation is often the preferred ending to this behavior (either at the time of witnessing, or later to the memory or the fantasy of what they saw or wanted to see). This activity can occur in many different venues (showers, under doors, tanning salons, walking in on someone, windows, use of cameras or mirrors, pretending to drop an object and looking up skirts or in positions over a person to look down shirts, or under stairs to look up dresses.
As with all of these behaviors, this one is not gender specific. Many women have been engaged in voyeuristic activities, but like exhibitionism, society is much more tolerant of female voyeurism than it is of the male version. This activity carries a high addiction potential due to the high level of risk involved in the activity. This gives an added “rush” to the sexual arousal that goes along with seeing nudity or sexual activity.
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