LAWFUL SEXUAL ACTS OF FORENSIC INTEREST (FROM NEW POLICE SURGEON - A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE, 1978, BY H S BURGES AND J E HILTON - SEE NCJ-61742)

• NCJ Number: 61753
• Author(s): S H BURGES
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Hutchinson Benham Ltd
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

LAWFUL ACTS ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUAL DEVIANCE WHICH MAY BE ENCOUNTERED BY THE POLICE SURGEON INCLUDING LESBIANISM, TRANSVESTISM, TRANSEXUALISM, FETISHISM, VOYEURISM, SEXUAL ASPHYXIA, AND GERONTOSEXUALITY ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, THE POLICE SURGEON MAY COME ACROSS PERSONS MANIFESTING FEATURES OF SEXUAL DEVIATION. ALTHOUGH THE SUBJECTS ARE NOT GUILTY OF ANY UNLAWFUL ACTS BY THEIR DEVIATION, THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE MORE COMMON TYPES CAN ASSIST BOTH THE POLICE AND THE SUBJECT. SEXUAL ABERRATIONS ARE LARGELY CONFINED TO THE MALE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LESBIANISM. IN LESBIANISM, GRATIFICATION IS USUALLY LIMITED TO MUTUAL PHYSICAL ADULATION AND EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT. LESBIANISM, LIKE MALE HOMOSEXUALITY, IS NOT CLEARLY DEFINABLE AND MAY EVEN BE QUITE COMPATIBLE WITH NORMAL HETEROSEXUAL BEHAVIOR. THE TRANSVESTITE FINDS PLEASURE IN WEARING CLOTHES OF THE OPPOSITE SEX. INVOLVEMENT WITH THE POLICE MAY RESULT FROM THEFT OF FEMALE UNDERWEAR IN STORES, FEMALE IMPERSONATION WITH OR WITHOUT ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD, AND WRONGFUL USE OF FEMALE CONVENIENCES. THE TRANSSEXUAL MALE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS A WOMAN TRAPPED IN A MAN'S BODY. POLICE INVOLVEMENT MAY RESULT FROM THE SAME REASONS SPECIFIED FOR THE TRANSVESTITE. TRANSSEXUALS ARE PERHAPS MORE LIABLE TO POLICE ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THEIR PREDILECTION FOR AN EXAGGERATED FEMININE APPEARANCE WHICH INVITES DERISION AND CONTEMPT. FETISHISM IS ESSENTIALLY A MASCULINE ABERRANCE; SATISFACTION IS DERIVED FROM THE SIGHT OR TOUCH OF A PARTICULAR OBJECT WHICH NEED NOT HAVE OBVIOUS SEX APPEAL. TO OBTAIN SEXUAL GRATIFICATION BY THE PASSIVE OBSERVANCE OF SEXUALLY STIMULATING ACTIONS OF OTHERS IS KNOWN AS VOYEURISM. THE POLICE SURGEON SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE OF THE SYNDROME KNOWN AS SEXUAL ASPHYXIA. THE DEATH SCENE IS CHARACTERIZED BY EVIDENCE OF TRANSVESTISM OR FETISHISM, EVIDENCE OF MASTURBATION, AND PRESENCE OF EROTIC MATERIAL. THE MEANS OF DEATH IS ASPHYXIAL; TYPICALLY NECK STRANGULATION OR USE OF A PLASTIC BAG ARE CHARACTERISTIC. AT FIRST SIGHT, THIS DEATH WOULD APPEAR TO BE A SUICIDE, BUT IT IS ACCIDENTAL. GERONTOSEXUALITY SPECIFIES THE PREDILECTION OF A YOUTH FOR AN OLD PERSON AS A SEXUAL OBJECT. SADO-MASOCHISM IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE NEED TO GIVE AND RECEIVE PAIN, AND MAY RESULT IN DEATH. A PHOTOGRAPH IS INCLUDED IN THE CHAPTER. (LWM)