Paraphilia Essay

According to Maddux and Winstead (2012), “Paraphilia, literally meaning “lover” (phile) of that which is “beyond” or “abnormal” ( para ), can include a wide range of sexual activities, objects, and situations”(p. 319). Essentially, paraphilia entails having sexual feelings, fantasies or sexual activities that involve things that are not human, or involve the shaming of oneself or partner, or that involve those that cannot consent over a time period of at least 6 months (Maddux & Winstead, 2012). Some “paraphilias include fetishism, transvestic fetishism, voyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, pedophilia, sexual masochism, sexual sadism”, “pedophilia, voyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and sexual sadism with a nonconsenting partner” (Maddux & Winstead, 2012, p.319).
It seems that there are multiple reasons why some paraphillas are included or excluded in the DSM. For example, some types of paraphilias that involve nonconsenting partners, “such as pedophilia and sadism with nonconsenting partners” are excluded from the DSM due to the criminal elements of those paraphilias (Maddux & Winstead, 2012, p.320). When paraphilias were classified in the DSM, they did not want the DSM to be utilized to justify criminal behavior as a type of disorder or mental illness. In my opinion, if a paraphilia is known, it should be included in the DSM. It seems dangerous to leave out potential important information. While, I think that all paraphillas should be included in the DSM, I can also understand why certain paraphilias are excluded. For quite some time, people have used the criminal insanity plea in criminal cases and I assume it would be not different for the paraphilias that have excluded from the