Hybristophilia is a paraphilia involving sexual interest in and attraction to those who commit crimes. [1] The term is derived from the Greek word hubrizein (ὑβρίζειν), meaning "to commit an outrage against someone" (ultimately derived from hubris ὕβρις, " hubris"), and philo, meaning "having a strong affinity/preference for". [2]
Many high-profile criminals, particularly those who have committed atrocious crimes, receive " fan mail" in prison that is sometimes amorous or sexual, presumably because of this phenomenon. While less common, the aggressive type of hybristophilia can occur in men with female serial killers. In some cases, admirers of these criminals have gone on to marry the object of their affections in prison. [3] [4] In popular culture, this phenomenon is also known as " Bonnie and Clyde syndrome". [5]
Some speculations have been offered as to the cause of hybristophilia. Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology at DeSales University, discusses the condition in females and mentions that some of the women in particular who have married or dated male serial killers have offered the following reasons: [3]
Others offered reasons along the lines of: [3]
Psychologist Leon F. Seltzer proposes the condition could be related to the riskiness involved with dating a criminal, the desire to tame or fix them, and primitive instincts based on evolutionary psychology. In the latter theory, he mentions dominance is attractive as it would mean such men could protect women and their offspring, according to evolutionary history. Seltzer says women today may consciously realize that it is unwise to date a serial killer, but they are nevertheless attracted to them; he stated, "as a therapist I've encountered many women who bemoaned their vulnerability toward dominant men who, consciously, they recognized were all wrong for them". [4]
As evidence of women's fantasy preference for dominant men, he refers to the book A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World's Largest Experiment Reveals about Human Desire by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam. Seltzer discusses Ogas and Gaddam's argument that this fantasy is the dominant plot of most erotic/romantic books and movies written for women, but the fantasy always holds that this male dominance is conditional, "it doesn't really represent the man's innermost reality". He also says in reality, very few women are actually swayed by these "primitive instincts". [4]
Women who write love letters to or even pursue men who are incarcerated for a crime are sometimes referred to as a prison groupie. [6] [7]
Hybristophilia is a paraphilia involving sexual interest in and attraction to those who commit crimes. [1] The term is derived from the Greek word hubrizein (ὑβρίζειν), meaning "to commit an outrage against someone" (ultimately derived from hubris ὕβρις, " hubris"), and philo, meaning "having a strong affinity/preference for". [2]
Many high-profile criminals, particularly those who have committed atrocious crimes, receive " fan mail" in prison that is sometimes amorous or sexual, presumably because of this phenomenon. While less common, the aggressive type of hybristophilia can occur in men with female serial killers. In some cases, admirers of these criminals have gone on to marry the object of their affections in prison. [3] [4] In popular culture, this phenomenon is also known as " Bonnie and Clyde syndrome". [5]
Some speculations have been offered as to the cause of hybristophilia. Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology at DeSales University, discusses the condition in females and mentions that some of the women in particular who have married or dated male serial killers have offered the following reasons: [3]
Others offered reasons along the lines of: [3]
Psychologist Leon F. Seltzer proposes the condition could be related to the riskiness involved with dating a criminal, the desire to tame or fix them, and primitive instincts based on evolutionary psychology. In the latter theory, he mentions dominance is attractive as it would mean such men could protect women and their offspring, according to evolutionary history. Seltzer says women today may consciously realize that it is unwise to date a serial killer, but they are nevertheless attracted to them; he stated, "as a therapist I've encountered many women who bemoaned their vulnerability toward dominant men who, consciously, they recognized were all wrong for them". [4]
As evidence of women's fantasy preference for dominant men, he refers to the book A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World's Largest Experiment Reveals about Human Desire by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam. Seltzer discusses Ogas and Gaddam's argument that this fantasy is the dominant plot of most erotic/romantic books and movies written for women, but the fantasy always holds that this male dominance is conditional, "it doesn't really represent the man's innermost reality". He also says in reality, very few women are actually swayed by these "primitive instincts". [4]
Women who write love letters to or even pursue men who are incarcerated for a crime are sometimes referred to as a prison groupie. [6] [7]