Intersex Pretenders.

False claims of having an intersex condition have been observed in print, video, Internet media, and in live presentations. Claims of being intersexed in publicly accessible media were examined and evidence that they were false was considered sufficiently conclusive in 37 cases. Falsity was most often detected due to medical implausibility and/or inconsistency, but sometimes also using information from third-party or published sources. The majority, 26/37, of cases were natal males; 11/37 were natal females. Almost all (34/37) were transgendered, living, or aspiring to live, in their non-natal sex or as socially intergender. The most commonly claimed diagnosis was ovotesticular disorder ("true hermaphroditism") due to chimerism, an actually uncommon cause of authentic intersexuality. Motivations for pretending to be intersexed were inferred from statements and behaviors and were varied. Some such pretenders appear to be avoiding the external or internalized stigma of an actual transgendered condition. Some appear, similarly to persons with factitious disorder, to be seeking attention and/or the role of a sick, disadvantaged, or victimized person. Some showed evidence of paraphilia, most frequently autogynephilia, and, in several cases, paraphilic diaperism. For some cases, such claims had been accepted as authentic by journalists or social scientists and repeated as true in published material.

Trophy, souvenir, or simple theft? Taking items from the victim in sexual homicide.

Although most people have heard the terms 'souvenirs', 'trophies', and 'mementos', discussed in books and movies on the true crimes of sexual murderers, limited research has delved into the phenomenon of theft in sexual homicide (SH). Using a sample of 762 SH cases coming from the Sexual Homicide International Database, the current study examines the crime-commission process of the pre-crime, crime, and post-crime phases of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) who engaged in theft during a SH. Additionally, this study seeks to determine if a specific type of SHO engages in this behaviour over others. Results from the sequential logistic regression indicate that victims who are 16 years or older, were strangers to the SHO, and were sex workers were more likely to be victims of theft. Additionally, results indicate that the presence of sadism made it more likely the SHO would engage in theft from the victim and/or crime scene. Findings suggest there is a group of SHOs who engage in theft not for monetary purposes but due to the paraphilia of the offender. These findings can inform the police investigation of these crimes.

Assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behavior disorder: a sexual medicine perspective.

INTRODUCTION: The addition of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) into the ICD-11 chapter on mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental disorders has greatly stimulated research and controversy around compulsive sexual behavior, or what has been termed "hypersexual disorder," "sexual addiction," "porn addiction," "sexual compulsivity," and "out-of-control sexual behavior." OBJECTIVES: To identify where concerns exist from the perspective of sexual medicine and what can be done to resolve them. METHODS: A scientific review committee convened by the International Society for Sexual Medicine reviewed pertinent literature and discussed clinical research and experience related to CSBD diagnoses and misdiagnoses, pathologizing nonheteronormative sexual behavior, basic research on potential underlying causes of CSBD, its relationship to paraphilic disorder, and its potential sexual health consequences. The panel used a modified Delphi method to reach consensus on these issues. RESULTS: CSBD was differentiated from other sexual activity on the basis of the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria, and issues regarding sexual medicine and sexual health were identified. Concerns were raised about self-labeling processes, attitudes hostile to sexual pleasure, pathologizing of nonheteronormative sexual behavior and high sexual desire, mixing of normative attitudes with clinical distress, and the belief that masturbation and pornography use represent "unhealthy" sexual behavior. A guide to CSBD case formulation and care/treatment recommendations was proposed. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical sexologic and sexual medicine expertise for the diagnosis and treatment of CSBD in the psychiatric-psychotherapeutic context is imperative to differentiate and understand the determinants and impact of CSBD and related "out-of-control sexual behaviors" on mental and sexual well-being, to detect forensically relevant and nonrelevant forms, and to refine best practices in care and treatment. Evidence-based, sexual medicine-informed therapies should be offered to achieve a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences.

Forensic Implications of the Parasomnias.

Although many sleep-related behaviors are benign, others can result in physical or sexual aggression toward bed partners or others. Individuals who engage in sleep-related violence (SRV) and sexual behavior in sleep (SBS) may face legal sanctions for their behavior. Attorneys or legal decision-makers may call on an expert to evaluate a defendant and opine about the veracity of an alleged parasomnia diagnosis, the criminal responsibility of the defendant, and his risk of violence to others. This article reviews the phenomena of SRV and SBS and guides evaluators in the forensic considerations relevant to parasomnias.

A Descriptive Model of Voyeuristic Behavior.

Over the last 50 years, there has been a plethora of research exploring sexual offending with a recent focus on online offending. However, little research has focused on voyeurism despite convictions and media awareness growing rapidly. Currently, there is sparse theoretical or empirical literature to guide research and practice for individuals engaging in voyeuristic behaviors. As such, 17 incarcerated men with a conviction of voyeurism in the UK were interviewed on the cognitive, affective, behavioral, and contextual factors leading up to and surrounding their offense(s). Grounded theory analyses were used to develop a temporal model from background factors to post-offense factors; the Descriptive Model of Voyeuristic Behavior (DMV). The model highlights vulnerability factors for men engaging in voyeuristic behaviors in this sample. Following this, the same 17 men were plotted through the model and three key pathways were identified: Sexual Gratification, Maladaptive Connection Seeking, and Access to Inappropriate Person(s). The characteristics of each pathway are discussed, and treatment implications considered.

Elaborating and Testing Erotic Target Identity Inversion Theory in Three Paraphilic Samples.

Some men sexually attracted to types of persons (e.g., women) or things (e.g., animals) also have internalized sexual attractions: sexual arousal by the idea of being the type of person or thing to whom they are attracted. Consequently, some of these men develop erotic target identity inversions, in which they imitate, yearn to be, or identify as an instance of their erotic target. Erotic Target Identity Inversion Theory predicts that for every external erotic target to which men are attracted, a subset of men will develop an internalized sexual attraction, which may cause an erotic target identity inversion. We examined these predictions in Internet surveys of three samples of men with paraphilic sexual interests: 322 men attracted to amputees, 1501 men attracted to animals, and 402 men attracted to severely obese persons. All samples included substantial minorities of men reporting internalized sexual attractions and erotic target identity inversions specific to their external sexual attractions (e.g., men attracted to amputees who are also aroused by the fantasy of being amputees and wish to become amputees). The correlation between degree of each internalized sexual attraction and degree of its corresponding erotic target identity inversion was approximately 1.0 after correction for attenuation. In each sample, participants' specific internalized sexual attraction was positively correlated with autogynephilia, likely the most common internalized sexual attraction in men. Erotic Target Identity Inversion Theory can potentially explain a variety of otherwise puzzling phenomena, including transgender identity among female-attracted natal males and men seeking amputations of healthy limbs.

Sexual Orientation, Sexual Motivation, and Erotic Target Identity Inversions in Male Adult Baby/Diaper Lovers.

Adult baby/diaper lovers (AB/DLs) enjoy role-playing as babies and/or wearing diapers. They also engage in other related activities, such as urinating or defecating themselves and having an adult care for them. Previous surveys have revealed that AB/DLs commonly report sexual motivation, a finding that is corroborated by case reports in the psychiatric literature and some media interviews. The fact that AB/DLs change their appearance and behavior to become more like babies raises the possibility that they have an erotic target identity inversion (ETII). In ETIIs, a person's external erotic target is inverted into the self, resulting in sexual arousal by the fantasy of being a member of the target class or by imitating one. If AB/DLs are sexually motivated by an ETII, they should experience both sexual attraction to babies and sexual arousal by the fantasy of being a baby. We surveyed 207 male AB/DLs recruited from the Internet about their sexual orientation, sexual motivation, and sexual interests for a primarily quantitative analysis. Consistent with past research, a substantial minority of participants reported non-heterosexual identities (42%), and a large majority reported some degree of sexual motivation for being AB/DLs (93%). Wearing diapers and urinating or defecating oneself were rated as especially sexual. Even though 40% of participants reported sexual arousal by the fantasy of being a baby, only 4% reported sexual attraction to babies. This pattern of results is contrary to predictions from the concept of ETIIs. Instead, participants indicated that physical or mental pain, humiliation, and an adult woman were important to their sexual fantasies of being a baby. Masochism appears to be a promising alternative to an ETII for explaining the sexual motivation of AB/DLs.

Psychological and Developmental Correlates of Paraphilic and Normophilic Sexual Interests.

The classification of sexual fantasies and behaviors (here referred to as 'sexual interests') has historically been divided into 'paraphilic' and 'normophilic'. However, studies on paraphilic interests are often limited to clinical or forensic samples and normophilic interests are rarely assessed in tandem. Previous research has found mixed results for psychological and other correlates of sexual interests, potentially due to inconsistency in operationalism and measurement of fantasies and behaviors. The aim of the current study was to quantify correlates of sexual interests via the Sexual Fantasies and Behaviors Inventory, containing factors related to general fantasies/behaviors, normophilia, power dynamics, sadomasochism, and courtship paraphilias, using a large (N = 4280) non-clinical sample. Psychological, developmental, sexual, and demographic correlates were investigated via bivariate correlations, mean difference testing, and multiple regression. Sexual interest domains were largely unrelated to psychopathology and developmental factors. Sociosexuality and more accepting attitudes towards sadomasochism was generally related to more arousal to/engagement in normophilic and paraphilic domains. More autism spectrum disorder traits were related to decreased normophilic interests. Psychopathic traits, sexual sensation seeking, and sexual compulsivity were related to paraphilia dimensions, especially courtship paraphilias and domination/sadism; the former was also associated with negative attitudes about establishing consent. Men, non-monogamous, and non-heterosexual participants indicated greater sexual fantasies and behaviors compared to women (except in the case of submission and masochism), monogamous, and heterosexual participants, respectively.

Behavioral, Neural, and Molecular Mechanisms of Conditioned Mate Preference: The Role of Opioids and First Experiences of Sexual Reward.

Although mechanisms of mate preference are thought to be relatively hard-wired, experience with appetitive and consummatory sexual reward has been shown to condition preferences for partner related cues and even objects that predict sexual reward. Here, we reviewed evidence from laboratory species and humans on sexually conditioned place, partner, and ejaculatory preferences in males and females, as well as the neurochemical, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms putatively responsible. From a comprehensive review of the available data, we concluded that opioid transmission at µ opioid receptors forms the basis of sexual pleasure and reward, which then sensitizes dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin systems responsible for attention, arousal, and bonding, leading to cortical activation that creates awareness of attraction and desire. First experiences with sexual reward states follow a pattern of sexual imprinting, during which partner- and/or object-related cues become crystallized by conditioning into idiosyncratic "types" that are found sexually attractive and arousing. These mechanisms tie reward and reproduction together, blending proximate and ultimate causality in the maintenance of variability within a species.

How Autogynephilic Are Natal Females?

Blanchard proposed that autogynephilia is a natal male's paraphilic sexual arousal in response to the thought or fantasy of being a woman. Furthermore, based on evidence collected from natal males with gender dysphoria, Blanchard argued that autogynephilia is the fundamental motivation among nonhomosexual males (i.e., those not exclusively attracted to men) who pursue sex reassignment surgery or live as transgender women. These ideas have been challenged by several writers who have asserted, or offered evidence, that autogynephilia is common among women. However, their evidence was weakened by problematic measures and limited comparison groups. We compared four samples of autogynephilic natal males (N = 1549), four samples of non-autogynephilic natal males (N = 1339), and two samples of natal females (N = 500), using Blanchard's original measure: the Core Autogynephilia Scale. The autogynephilic samples had much higher mean scores compared with non-autogynephilic natal males and natal females, who were similar. Our findings refute the contention that autogynephilia is common among natal females.

Should Psychiatry Be Consulted When Facing a Self-Inflicted Foreign Body in the Urinary Tract?

Background On encountering a self-inflicted foreign body in the urinary tract, it is common that emergency physicians only consult the department of urology, and no further evaluations from other specialties are sought. Psychological conditions can also involve people with psychiatric disorders who perform self-harming or sexual practices. Many case reports of foreign bodies have been reported in the literature. However, there is little information regarding which specialties to consult in this situation within the emergency department (ED). Methodology This case series study gathered information on 10 cases from patients who attended the ED from 2005 to 2020 with the diagnosis of genital or lower urinary tract foreign body. Results In total, 10 patients were analyzed with a mean age of 37.3 (SD: ±14.1) years. Of the 10 patients, seven (70%) were males, and three (30%) were females. Overall, four (40%) patients presented with lower urinary tract symptoms (dysuria, tenesmus, hematuria, urinary frequency), five (50%) patients had a significant psychiatric history, and eight (80%) patients admitted having these practices for sexual gratification. Conclusions Foreign bodies in the lower urinary tract pose a significant challenge to ED physicians and urologists because some patients do not admit or do not recall inserting foreign bodies. Patients should be interrogated for mental illness, medication use, and a history of foreign bodies in the urinary tract or genitals during the initial evaluation. There is no consensus or screening method for such patients presenting to the ED. Hence, the use of complementary imaging studies and cystoscopy is fundamental for diagnosis. Further, it is essential to perform a psychiatric evaluation to diagnose or address any underlying psychiatric conditions that could cause this behavior.

The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry guidelines on the assessment and pharmacological treatment of compulsive sexual behaviour disorder.

OBJECTIVES: The current guidelines aim to evaluate the role of pharmacological agents in the treatment of patients with compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (CSBD). They are intended for use in clinical practice by clinicians who treat patients with CSBD. METHODS: An extensive literature search was conducted using the English-language-literature indexed on PubMed and Google Scholar without time limit, supplemented by other sources, including published reviews. RESULTS: Each treatment recommendation was evaluated with respect to the strength of evidence for its efficacy, safety, tolerability, and feasibility. Psychoeducation and psychotherapy are first-choice treatments and should always be conducted. The type of medication recommended depended mainly on the intensity of CSBD and comorbid sexual and psychiatric disorders. There are few randomised controlled trials. Although no medications carry formal indications for CSBD, selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors and naltrexone currently constitute the most relevant pharmacological treatments for the treatment of CSBD. In cases of CSBD with comorbid paraphilic disorders, hormonal agents may be indicated, and one should refer to previously published guidelines on the treatment of adults with paraphilic disorders. Specific recommendations are also proposed in case of chemsex behaviour associated with CSBD. CONCLUSIONS: An algorithm is proposed with different levels of treatment for different categories of patients with CSBD.

The Covariation of Sexual Fantasies and Behaviors Among Self-Identified Sexually Aggressive Criminal and Noncriminal Samples.

This study examined the association of sexually appetitive fantasies and sexually coercive behaviors among adult men convicted of nonsexual crimes (n = 159) and adult men with no criminal histories (n = 219). Individuals completed the Multidimensional Assessment of Sex and Aggression (MASA) and, on the basis of these reports, were classified whether or not they had ever attempted to assault or coerce someone sexually. Consistent with fewer opportunities to engage in sexual behavior, individuals with criminal histories reported generally less preoccupation, compulsivity, and frequency than did noncriminal individuals. Regardless of criminal history, self-identified sexually coercive men reported significantly more sexually appetitive fantasy and behavior in general and sexually deviant behavior in particular than did noncoercive males. Implications of these findings for research, theory, and dispositional decisions are discussed.

Os árbitros do desejo e os enteados da natureza: controvérsias e ontologias sobre a categoria pedofilia em torno do DSM - 5 / The arbiters of desire and the stepchildren of nature: controversies and ontologies on the category pedophilia around the DSM - 5

Pedofilia é categoria originada na psiquiatria do final do século XIX para descrever uma espécie das denominadas perversões ou desvios sexuais, hoje parafilias, que conceitua a atração sexual de adultos por crianças pré-púberes. Tornou-se objeto de proibição e punição legal, ligada à categoria "abuso sexual infantil", e de repúdio social extremo, que configurou um dos pânicos morais/sexuais a partir das últimas décadas do século XX, no Brasil a partir do início dos anos 2000. No entanto, é notável constatar que a categoria, suas definições e características e as práticas científicas e políticas decorrentes (de pesquisa, terapêuticas, jurídicas) são objeto de uma ampla literatura e intensas controvérsias acadêmicas, clínicas e forenses em muitos países centrais da Europa e América do Norte. A tese visa delinear controvérsias recentes sobre o diagnóstico psiquiátrico "pedofilia" em torno da revisão do Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders ­ DSM (Manual Diagnóstico e Estatístico de Transtornos Mentais) ­, da American Psychiatric Association, para a formulação do DSM-5, publicado em 2013, através de uma amostra de artigos de autores presentes nas propostas de revisão do diagnóstico, que expressam epistemologias, ontologias e deontologias diversas e em confronto. Os temas das controvérsias analisadas são a mudança do diagnóstico para "pedohebefilia", a permanência ou remoção das parafilias e da pedofilia do Manual e sua natureza enquanto "orientação", "interesse" ou "preferência" sexual. As vozes presentes nas controvérsias incluem psiquiatras, sexólogos, psicólogos, historiadores e uma organização de "pessoas atraídas por menores" (MAPs), nova designação utilizada por uma vertente do ativismo pedófilo. O delineamento das controvérsias é feito a partir de seus enquadramentos institucionais, políticos, morais, éticos e clínicos, configurando disputas significativas nestas posições e um consenso em torno do "combate" e prevenção ao abuso sexual infantil, categoria forte na quase totalidade das formulações. Apesar disso, há um dissenso ideológico e político sobre se a psiquiatria deve ser um enquadramento deste crime, se este não é, de fato, problema jurídico e penal e não médico, numa crítica à extensão das entidades diagnósticas para fins morais e políticos de contemplar a opinião pública e o aparato judicial. A psiquiatria forense é campo prevalente e determinante, embora não único, da permanência da categoria enquanto diagnóstico médico. Por outro lado, são abordadas as lutas, presentes nas controvérsias e no ativismo, pela desestigmatização desta condição da sexualidade, sua distinção da violência sexual e pelo estabelecimento de cidadania plena para os MAPs, que inclui o respeito de seus direitos no atendimento em serviços de saúde mental.

Pedophilia is a category originated in psychiatry in the late 19th century to describe a species of the so-called sexual perversions or deviations, nowdays paraphilias, which conceptualizes the sexual attraction by adults of pre-pubertal children. It turned the object of legal prohibition and punition, linked to the category of "child sexual abuse", and of extreme social rejection, that shaped one of the moral/sexual panics since the last decades of the 20th century, in Brasil since the early 2000 years. Nevertheless, it's noticeable to verify that the category, its definitions and features, and the scientific and political ensuing practices (of research, therapeutic, legal) are the object of a large literature and intense academic, clinical and forensic controversies in many central countries of Europe and North America. The thesis intends to outline recent controversies on the psychiatric diagnosis "pedophilia" around the revision of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders ­ DSM - of the American Psychiatric Association and the elaboration of the DSM-5, published in 2013, through a sample of papers of acting authors in the proposals of the revision of the diagnosis, which express various epistemologies, ontologies and deontologies in dispute. The themes of the controversies under analysis are the change of the diagnosis to "pedohebephilia", the tenure or removal of paraphilias and pedophilia from the Manual and its nature as a sexual "orientation", "interest" or "preference". The figuring voices in the controversies include psychiatrists, sexologists, psychologists, historians and an organization of "minor-attracted people" (MAPs), new designation used by a branch of the pedophile activism. The delineation of the controversies is made through their institutional, political, moral, ethical and clinical frames, outlining noteworthy disputes in these positions and a consensus around the "combat" and prevention of child sexual abuse, strong category in almost the whole of the formulations. In spite of this, there is an ideological and political dissent on if psychiatry should be a frame to handle a crime, if this one is a juridical and penal problem and not a medical one, in a criticism of the extension of diagnostic entities for moral and political ends to comply with public opinion and the apparatus of Justice. Forensic psychiatry is a prevailing and decisive field, though not the only one, in the maintenance of the category as a medical diagnosis. On the other hand, the struggles, active in the controversies and activism, over the de-stigmatization of this condition of sexuality, its distinction from sexual violence and for the establishment of a full citinzenship for MAPs, including the respect of their rights of assistance in mental health services, are addressed.

Compulsive Conditioned Sexual Responding of Male Japanese Quail in Extinction.

Previous experiments showed that following acquisition of an association between a terry-cloth object conditioned stimulus (CS) and a live female unconditioned stimulus (US), male quail increased the frequency of their copulations with the inanimate CS during subsequent CS-alone (extinction) trials. The present experiment was conducted to identify the potential factors responsible for this unexpected increase in conditioned sexual behavior during extinction. A total of 57 naïve male quail were given pairings of a terry-cloth CS with a live female during acquisition. A total of 36 of these quail (the approach responders) showed only conditioned approach response to the CS object, whereas the remaining 21 quail (the consummatory responders) also displayed copulatory or consummatory responses to the CS. In the extinction phase, these two sets of quail were divided into two subgroups: one subgroup received a female in their home cages while the other did not. Consummatory responders that were not exposed to a female quail in the home cage showed a significant increase in conditioned consummatory responding as the extinction trials progressed (i.e., compulsive conditioned sexual responding), whereas the other subgroup showed no change. However, both subgroups showed resistance to extinction in both conditioned approach and consummatory behavior. These findings indicate that the increase in copulation with the terry-cloth CS during extinction is possibly caused by US deprivation. The findings also suggest that conditioned copulation with the terry-cloth CS may lead to partial drive satisfaction, which may contribute to persistence of the behavior. Implications of these findings for paraphilias and compulsive sexual behavior are discussed.

Association of ADHD and hypersexuality and paraphilias.

Subjects with ADHD suffer from inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Clinicians often assume that specific symptoms of ADHD are bound to affect sexual desire by increasing the frequency of hypersexuality. There is a lack of knowledge about the comorbidity between ADHD, hypersexuality, and paraphilias. The aim of this article was to provide a review of the literature on the association of ADHD and hypersexuality and paraphilias and to discuss the screening and the management of these syndromes when associated with ADHD. A systematic review of the literature was performed in PubMed, PsychInfo, and Embase databases. The studies reviewed show that some individuals who suffer from ADHD report hypersexuality and paraphilias, but no clear data emerged supporting the idea that hypersexuality and paraphilias are more frequent in an ADHD population. On the other hand, some studies showed a high prevalence of ADHD in hypersexual and paraphilic subjects. This is the first systematic review of hypersexuality and paraphilias in individuals with ADHD. However, the results are limited by differences in the methodology and measurement instruments for hypersexuality and paraphilias as well as by the small number of studies and the small sample sizes of many studies.

Una mejor comprensión de la sexualidad humana a través del estudio de la asexualidad / A better understanding of human sexuality through the study of asexuality

La asexualidad ha cobrado importancia con la entrada del presente siglo. Sin embargo, sigue siendo un fenómeno poco estudiado. Las investigaciones realizadas hasta la fecha confirman que la carencia de “atracción erótica” hacia uno u otro sexo es definitoria y se impone como el eje de todos los comportamientos asexuales englobados bajo idéntica denominación. Por ello, el estudio presente se centra en delimitar con precisión el concepto de “atracción sexual” que es distinto al cariño, a la admiración, a la mal llamada “atracción romántica” y a la excitación sexual. Por otra parte, en el asexual se observan frecuentes conductas masturbatorias y parafílicas, y es obvio que estas conductas responden a otros factores no dependientes de la “atracción erótica,” lo que conduce a mantener como evidencia la existencia de tres factores fundamentales constituyentes del núcleo de la sexualidad humana: atracción sexual, excitación y orgasmo. Factores no covariables entre sí, cuya presencia, conjunta o aislada, explica las diferentes conductas sexuales de hombres y mujeres. (AU)

Asexuality has gained importance with the entrance of the present century. However, this phenomenon has been little studied. The investigations carried out to date confirm that the lack of “erotic attraction” towards one sex or the other is defining and imposes itself as the axis of all the asexual behaviors encompassed under the same name. Therefore, the present study focuses on defining precisely the concept of “sexual attraction”, which is different from affection, admiration, the so-called “romantic attraction”, and sexual excitement. On the other hand, there are frequent masturbatory and paraphilic behaviors in asexual people, and it is obvious that these behaviors respond to other factors not dependent on the “erotic attraction”, which leads us to maintain as evidence the existence of three fundamental constituent factors of the core of human sexuality: sexual attraction, excitement, and orgasm. Non-covariable factors, whose presence, joint or isolated, explains the different sexual behaviors of men and women. (AU)

Psychiatric and Forensic Differences Between Men Charged with Sex Offences and Men Charged with Other Offences.

Studies on differences between individuals convicted of sexual offences and nonsexual offences are sparse and there is an on-going debate as to whether sexual offenders differ from other offenders. The primary aim of this study was to determine demographic characteristics, prevalence of mental disorders, alcohol and drug use at the time of the crime and the criminal responsibility of individuals charged with sexual offences, compared to nonsexual crimes, with the aim of bringing awareness to the similarities and differences between men charged with sex offences and those charged with other crimes. This is a single-institution retrospective study of subjects charged with sexual offences and sent for institutional psychiatric evaluation to a Forensic Psychiatric Centre in an urban, academic, tertiary-care center. The control group consisted of individuals charged with nonsexual offences referred to the same center. Results showed significant differences between individuals charged with sexual offences and nonsexual offences. Men charged with sex offences more frequently committed their crimes alone and victimized children equally as often as adults. They also less frequently pleaded guilty in court. They were more likely to be abused in childhood and more often had antisocial personality disorder and paraphilias and less often substance-related disorders. The majority were considered criminally responsible. Our results show that sex offenders are different from nonsex offenders in many characteristics of their personal history, offence characteristics and forensic evaluations and these particular differences warrant different approaches to the prevention of future re-offending, compared to nonsex offenders.

Paraphilias among Roman Catholic priests: what we know, and do not know, about sexual clergy-abusers of minors. / Parafilie wsród ksiezy Kosciola rzymskokatolickiego: co wiemy, czego i nie wiemy, o duchownych wykorzystujacych seksualnie maloletnich.

The issue of sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church is widely discussed in the media. Nevertheless, the term ?priest-pedophile'has been used inaccurately to identify perpetrators. There is very little research directly dealing with this group of offenders among Catholic clergy, and we do not yet have any theory that would adequately explain this type of behavior. Attempts to psychologically characterize priests who sexually abuse minors have brought limited success so far. The purpose of this article is to present the most important issues and clinical dilemmas related to the diagnosis and treatment of paraphilias among Catholic clergy, signifying similarities and differences between clergy and other perpetrators of sexual offenses against minors, present typology of sexual offenders among priests, and discuss therelationship of victims' gender with sexual orientation and celibacy of perpetrators. The author demonstrates that using the term ?priest-pedophile' is not only misleading, but is sometimes used to deliberately mislead. On the one hand, to create a moral panic effect, suggesting that the Catholic clergy is at increased risk of this type of crime. On the other hand, indicating gender and age of the most of their victims, suggesting that people responsible for this kind of abuse among Catholic clergy are homosexual priests and thus select a scapegoat responsible for the problems of the Church institution.