Behaviors, Goals, and Characteristics of Exhibitionists

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Outline

It is still quite unclear why an adult male would choose to expose his genitals in public. One theory that has been put forward to explain such behavior suggests that exhibitionists are normally under some stressful condition, and they try to relieve this stress through the exposure of their genitals in the act of masturbation. Exposure is also said to lead to sexual excitement in the subject. Some other theorists also associate the behavior to males who have been emotionally damaged by women, and because of feeling less confident in terms of masculinity, exposure helps to reaffirm the feelings of inadequacy. Yet others could just be angry with people in general, and the purpose of creating such kind of attention is primarily to create shock as well as degrade people, particularly women. After exposure, exhibitionists normally retreat to a private place and masturbate so as to achieve an orgasm if one was not achieved on the spot. Ideally, the goal behind such action is to achieve some form of sexual gratification.

Introduction

Exhibitionism is a criminal offense in which certain people, usually adult males, deliberately expose their genitals under very inappropriate circumstances. A typical male exhibitionist will expose his genitals to very unsuspecting strangers, usually in public places like schools yards, parks, and bus stops, most of whom are women and children. Most exhibitionists get into the habit quite early in life, normally between teenage and the age of 20 years, and for this reason, most of them are typically young in age. Women exhibitionists are not common, and those who engage in the habit often take up paid employment in places like restaurants where exhibitionism is practiced (Holmes 68; Kulbarsh 2008).

Behaviors, goals, and characteristics of exhibitionists

The greater percentages of exhibitionists either expose their genitals to unsuspecting victims or masturbate in their presence. Others may be verbally aggressive, use obscene language, or relay their desire for sex through nonverbal actions. Some exhibitionists, however, tactfully attract unsuspecting victims to some selected and more isolated spots such as inside a car or a bench in a public park. A very small percentage have exhibited a desire or attempted to touch their victims. They thrive on such reactions as anger, embarrassment, fear, and shock from their victims. Victims who, for example, react negatively by laughing may incite violence or hostility from the exhibitionists because exhibitionism is facilitated by a strong need for admiration and attention as well as a strong urge to overcome feelings of shame and inadequacy. Sexual gratification is achieved through the victims’ response with orgasm being reached during exposure and masturbation on the spot or by masturbating later to achieve an orgasm (Kulbarsh 2008; Greenberg, Bruess & Conklin 670).

Most exhibitionists are risk-takers and make little or no attempt to conceal their identity, a characteristic that has been suggested to heighten sexual arousal in the subject. They try to use exposure as a replica for a sexual interaction while avoiding such sexual risks as rejection and a-shaming that may be characteristic of a real sexual encounter. The sexual act of exposing genitals actually takes a very short time, and very little effort or skill is invested in it. Exhibitionists probably expect their victims to be impressed by the size of their penises, and they wield a very strong desire to catch the attention of others so that they can observe them specifically when masturbating in the presence of the victim. Rarely do exhibitionists engage in sexual intimacy with their female victims, and they will also typically run away from those victims who respond by expressing bewilderment and acting in a sexual manner. Neutral response, for example, where a victim advices the subject to zipping up his trousers immediately ends the episode (Giles 88-89; Holmes 68; Greenberg, Bruess & Conklin 669).

Exhibitionists are rarely aggressive or violent and do not do anything beyond displaying their genitals. They are not interested in any contact with the victims and will rarely follow their female victims. These people generally feel inadequate, are shy, and have unfulfilling sexual relationships that make them feel afraid of rejection. Although most of them are married, their marriages are troubled, and most often, they are sexually dysfunctional. They are most active during stressful moments and when they have abundant free time. Some exhibitionists are sexually confused individuals, others are mentally retarded or under alcohol intoxication; while the third group is those probably suffering from paraphilia, and it is this latter group who can result in dangerous acts like sexual assault or rape (Kulbarsh 2008; Greenberg, Bruess & Conklin 670).

Conclusion

Exhibitionism decreases as the character advances in age, and the habit has rarely been reported in men beyond 50 years of age. Imprisonment or another form of punishment does little to prevent the recurrence of the behavior. Ignoring them is the best weapon because through negative response, this behavior cannot be reinforced (Greenberg, Bruess & Conklin 670).

Works Cited

Giles, James. The Nature of Sexual Desire. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003.

Greenberg, Jerrold S., Bruess Clint E. and Conklin Sarah C. Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2009.

Holmes, Stephen T. Sex Crimes: Patterns and Behavior. Seminole, FL: SAGE, 2001.

Kulbarsh, Pamela. Indecent Exposure: Exhibitionism. 2008. Web.

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Behaviors, Goals, and Characteristics of Exhibitionists

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