Necrophilia

Updated: AUGUST 6, 2019

Necrophilia is a term for the sexual attraction to corpses. Psychologists cite that in 68% of cases, the most common motive for necrophiliacs is a desire to control a partner who does not resist. It is classified as a paraphilia by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. Necrophilia is believed to be rare. Even where it is exists, it is most often carried out in the form of fantasy or role-playing.

More About Necrophilia

There are three primary forms of necrophilia:

Necrophilic homicide, when the necrophiliac kills someone to obtain a corpse for sex;
Regular necrophilia, when the necrophiliac has sex with corpses that weren't murdered by the necrophiliac;
Necrophilic fantasy, when the necrophiliac simply fantasizes about sex with corpses and never acts on the fantasies.

According to psychologists, there are other motives including the wish to be with a now-deceased partner (21%), attraction to corpses (15%), feeling isolated and in need of connection (15%), and the need to exercise power over a victim (12%).