Dancing frotteurism or rubbing at the carnival celebrations in Trinidad

ABSTRACT

Paraphilias are sexual disorders characterized by sexual impulses, urges, fantasies or practices that are strange, deviant or bizarre. It is more common in men and attributed to fixation at one of the psychosexual phases of development, learning theory, child abuse or culture. Trinidad and Tobago has been influenced by a medley of cultures which find its greatest expression during the carnival season. During this time a local dance form of wining with suggestible sexual movements is pervasive. It is associated with distortions of normal courtship behavior with paraphilic disturbances. In a case presentation, a young male is presented showing paraphilic disturbances touching, holding, rubbing and coercive sex. This behavior of frotteurism and other parahilias are common occurrences at carnival in Trinidad and Tobago and are considered to be cultural normative practices. This case-report therefore, identifies a number of paraphilic behaviors such as toucherism, frotteurism and preferential rape during the carnival celebration and examines their relationship with the law. Professionals abroad ought to be aware of the local culture due to the recent export of carnival to metropolitan countries.