Voyeurism is a paraphilia [‘abnormal’ sexual desire]
which focuses on observing unsuspecting individuals,
usually strangers, who are naked, in the process of
undressing or engaging in sexual activity.
Peeping Tom from FrolicMe Films on Vimeo.
The act of looking (peeping) for the purpose of
achieving sexual excitement, and generally no sexual
activity with the observed person is sought.
The high is in the risk of looking not the
seeing. Orgasm via self-pleasure may occur
during or following the activity.
Voyeur is a French term meaning: “one who looks.”
Voyeurs are also referred to as Peeping Toms.
The boundaries of the term voyeurism are vague.
Is someone who watches porn and masturbates
a voyeur? Is the individual who stares at
scantily clad women on the street a voyeur?
‘Extreme’ voyeurs have an exaggerated desire
to see, by stealth, a member of the opposite sex
in some stage of undress, the sexual act, or
the act of excretion, which is so intense
it surpasses in importance the normal sexual act.
Voyeurs may differ in their specific preferences.
One individual may only look for breasts; some
intercourse; others prefer catching someone masturbating.
The majority (90%) of voyeurs are men—many with above
average IQs. Women voyeurs do exist but research shows
they tend to be severely mentally ill.
For some, voyeuristic behavior is an exclusive form of sexual activity.
Freud initially viewed voyeurism as a perversion.
He saw it as regression to an earlier level of
development and as a formation to prevent more
threatening impulses from entering consciousness.
He later claimed that the object of desire is
a substitution for the mother, which in turn
reenacts the struggle over separation and castration.
A man who secretly filmed a teenage girl taking
a shower claimed he got the idea after watching
porn and thought it a “challenge”.
He admitted to a charge of voyeurism,
jailed for 10 months and placed on the
sex offender’s register for 10 years.
Most of us are voyeurs. Did you watch the clip above? It’s not live, so to speak. But you’re still getting a vicarious thrill from watching someone undress
It’s is highly unlikely that a voyeur or an exhibitionist will become physical or try to have sex with a person. Both, however, will actively seek out people and situations that may provide them with an erotic outlet to engage their desires.
For some, their desire to engage in these acts centres less on psychological turmoil and more on the pure arousing eroticism of the behaviour. For others, psychology, arousal and compulsive thoughts and behaviours prove to be a powerful combination they struggle to control.
What does the research say
about these fetishes?
There’s relatively little research on either voyeurism or exhibitionism, which makes it difficult to have reliable statistics. Most studies focus on people who have never had these desires or people who have experienced legal consequences as a result of satisfying their desires; both variables will produce very different percentages. Therefore, the numbers vary in regards to prevalence.
A major Swedish study using 2,450 randomly selected 18-to-60-year-old subjects found that 3.1% of people (4.1% male, 2.1% female) reported at least one incident of being sexually aroused by exposing their genitals to a stranger.
In that same study, they also found that 8% of people (12% male, 4% female) reported at least one incident of being sexually aroused by spying on others having sex.
Does this difference in male voyeuristic behaviour (12% versus 42%) has anything to do with Sweden’s sex-positive society and comprehensive sex education for children/teens versus America’s sex-negative society and abstinence-only sex education for children/teens. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
Satisfy your erotic desires
As with any sexual behaviour, too much of a good thing and lack of consent can have destructive outcomes. Voyeurism and exhibitionism are like water: Sometimes they’re refreshing and nourishing, and other times, they can boil and burn you.
We’re all sexual beings, and fulfilling our sexual desires is a basic part of life. Use your imagination and take advantage of all the possibilities out there for safe, consensual sexcapades.
So be careful, make smart choices and find positive outlets for your erotic desires. They’re out there if you’re really looking.
Males are voyeurs – hardwired ocular perverts.
Males are spatial in orientation, females more locus-directed.
Result? Men spend a large portion of time looking at women.
Whereas women, funny as it seems, spend
most of their time looking at other women.
Watching Girls Go to School
The days of the short skirt aren’t over.
Girls are defying the fashion experts,
determined to continue exposing their
bodies and showing their legs.