What is the definition of voyeurism?
The simplest definition of voyeurism is this – an interest in watching people as they strip, are nude, or indulge in sexual activities without them knowing. The main interest, usually, lies in the act of observing, not in the person(s) in question.
Just in case you were looking for voyeur meaning and pronunciation, here’s how to pronounce v o y e u r i s m – [VOY] + [UR] + [I] + [ZUHM].
Now let’s continue. The voyeur definition meaning is this – a person who does the watching is usually called a voyeur. There’s also a vernacular term for this type of person – a peeping Tom.
One of the most important parts about someone’s voyeuristic experience is the fact that the target(s) are unaware of the fact that they are being observed. A voyeur is able to derive additional pleasure from the fact that they happen to observe their targets in places of privacy, including their own houses.
Voyeurism vs. voyeuristic disorder
It’s important to make this distinction. Basically, a voyeur might never actually give in to their urges. For the most part, voyeurism never goes beyond a simple fantasy. Masturbating while daydreaming about observing someone from a distance is a good example of safe, responsible voyeurism. It’s as innocent as looking up the word for someone who is good in bed.
In rare cases, this mostly harmless fetish can turn into a serious paraphilic disorder known as the voyeuristic disorder. An individual suffering from it might find themselves being overwhelmed by persistent thoughts and disturbing sexual fantasies that may involve non-consenting parties. The treatment for voyeuristic disorder usually involves psychological therapy. In worse cases, it might also involve different types of medication, including serotonergic antidepressants and androgen receptor antagonists.
After studying numerous research papers, here are the biggest takeaways we can share with you:
- 87% of voyeurs do NOT meet the criteria for this disorder.
- Voyeur behaviors are the most common sexual behaviors likely to involve police. What is the sentence for peeping Tom? On average, the punishment might include up to six months in jail and/or a fine up to $1000.
- In general, peeping Tom habits are harmless and the voyeuristic disorder can only be diagnosed if the condition has been present for over six months and if the people in question have acted upon their urges with an unconsenting party or their fantasies cause substantial discomfort or prevent normal functioning.
- If a person committed a sex crime, they should be treated with psychological therapy and serotonergic antidepressants first. Additional treatment might involve androgen receptor antagonists.
What is video voyeurism?
In essence, video voyeurism refers to the act of videotaping a person in a private area without asking for their consent first. The “private area” in question might be a non-public place or a place in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy (public restroom, changing room, locker room, etc.).
There exist many public places in which we are recorded, including shops, highways, train stations, airports, and more. These places are allowed to record for safety reason and we show our consent by visiting the aforementioned spots. Nonetheless, in case a store manager arranged a hidden cam to film in a dressing room, this is a punishable offense (video voyeurism). Whilst we can’t expect to NOT be recorded while looking for a new pair of jeans, we can expect privacy while trying to put them on.
Alternatively, if two people decide to get cozy in a vehicle and a passer-by records it, it’s safe to say that there’s no foul play involved here – the two were in public, in spite of the fact that they’re in a private automobile.
Even though the charge of video voyeurism might appear extremely uncomplicated, there’s a great deal of nuance involved.
What does responsible voyeurism look like?
At its very core, voyeurism is built upon the notion that there’s an unwilling participant that doesn’t know that they’re being watched/recorded. In case you have voyeuristic urges, there exist many ways to fulfill them with no harm to others. Let’s discuss them in detail.
Pornography
Voyeur porn is extremely popular nowadays. Most (if not all) pornography is scripted, so you can rest assured knowing that every single clip you watch involves consenting parties. Better yet, the videos usually allow you to enjoy the action from the voyeur’s POV, which helps the immersion.
Role play
A person who likes to be watched is called an exhibitionist, just in case you were wondering. The exhibition definition is different when talking about sexual preferences and patterns, so it has nothing to do with public events. Perhaps you should confront your partner directly and see if they’re up for a voyeuristic/exhibitionistic experience, maybe it’s going to turn that you’re dating a closeted exhibitionist (or maybe someone with an agoraphilia).
Remember that relationship-themed forums and online communities are filled with threads such as “boyfriend wants someone to watch us… what should I do?” and “watching your partner with someone else, has anyone tried it?”. People are VERY open-minded when provided with good reasoning.
