Lecture Notes

Sexual sadism disorder is characterized by urges or fantasies of intentionally inflicting real physical or psychological pain or suffering on a partner. Characteristic symptoms include violent sexual thoughts and fantasies involving a desire for power and control, centering on a victim's physical suffering, which is sexually arousing. The victim may also be a consenting person with sexual masochism disorder or someone abducted by a person with sadism. The victim may be tortured, raped, or killed, and the victim is physically restrained and blindfolded or gagged. However, most rapes are not committed by those with sexual sadism disorder.

Sexual masochism disorder is the recurring sexual urge or fantasy of being humiliated or cause to suffer through real acts, not simulated ones. The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors must result in significant distress or social impairment. Masochism can occur alone or with partners. With partners the acts can include restraining, blindfolding, paddling, spanking, whipping, beating, shocking, cutting, pinning, piercing, and humiliating. It is the only paraphilic disorder that is diagnosed with some frequency in women.