Erotophonophilia is a sexual interest in committing murder. People with erotophonophilia, known as erotophonophiles or erotophonophiliacs, may become aroused fantasizing about committing murder or may attempt to kill someone in real life for sexual gratification. Erotophonophilia is typically regarded as the most extreme type of sexual sadism and the most heinous of all paraphilias.
Erotophonophilia is also sometimes called lust murder.
More About Erotophonophilia
Erotophonophiles may have sexual fantasies about killing people in a variety of ways, such as beating them, stabbing them, strangling them, mutilating their bodies, or a combination of these. Their paraphilia often overlaps with other dark paraphilias including necrophilia, sexual cannibalism, and sexual sadism.
It’s commonly believed that people with erotophonophilia are aroused by the extreme domination and control they would have over their victims. Some people with erotophonophilia never act on their impulses, and instead are content to simply fantasize about killing other people for sexual gratification.
However, there have been several reports of erotophonophiles acting on their desires, often during sexual interactions. The murders they commit often involve extreme acts of violence, such as dismemberment, disembowelment, or genital mutilation. They are also more likely to eat their victims or keep trophies of their kills. Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, Richard Ramirez, and other serial killers are believed to have been erotophonophiles. People who kill due to erotophonophilia are different both psychologically and behaviourally from people who kill for revenge or because they are angry.
Engaging in violent fantasies about other people, especially those you don’t like, is normal on occasion. But anyone who is concerned that their fantasies may lead them to act in a violent way should seek counseling immediately. A combination of psychotherapy and medication is typically required to help people with erotophonophilia.
