Hybristophilia: the attraction to dangerous people

Murderers and criminals can be seen in a romantic light despite their actions.

For many centuries, we have tended to think of human beings as rational animals. In practice, however, there are many aspects of our behavior that reveal that this is not the case. Hybristophilia, which is a tendency to be attracted to people who are dangerous or likely to harm others. or prone to harm others, is one of them.

When it comes to sharing a relationship based on intimacy and trust with someone, it seems very clear that the more dangerous the chosen partner, the greater the chances of things going wrong. In many cases, in fact, there may be cases of psychological and physical abuse.

So, what explains the existence of hybristophilia? How does it happen? Let's look at it.

The characteristics of hybristophilia

Hybristophilia, a term coined by psychologist John Money, is the tendency to be attracted to individuals who have shown themselves to be prone to harming others. As an example, criminals, murderers and criminals in general may be considered a romantic or sexual target precisely because of their condition, because they are on the fringes of the law..

Thus, hybristophilia can be considered a type of paraphilia, since its existence can endanger the physical and mental integrity of people. In fact, the propensity to commit acts of domestic violence is significantly higher in the case of delinquents and criminals, which means that the risk is high.

Examples of criminals and murderers with fans

According to John Money this phenomenon can occur in practically any personality profile, but in practice it occurs more frequently in heterosexual women. This corresponds to many of the most mediatic cases of hybristophilia, which have to do with murderers and highly dangerous criminals who, despite being unable to conceal their guilt in cases involving fatalities, had several female admirers interested in them in a romantic sense, had several female admirers interested in them in a romantic sense.

Some examples of hybristophilia can be found in the authentic "fan" phenomena that appeared during the prosecution or imprisonment of murderers and criminals.

1. Charles Manson

Charles Manson, known for being involved in several murders and organizing a cult, had several mistresses in spite of his actions and his bizarre personality..

Ted Bundy

Another similar case was that of Ted Bundy, a serial killer responsible for the deaths of dozens of people, who married an admirer after his conviction. married an admirer after his conviction and received many love letters in prison. and received a multitude of love letters in prison. Sent by different women.

3. Josef Fritzl

The known as the Monster of Amstetten has been receiving love letters during his incarceration, in spite of beingDespite being convicted of locking up his daughter for 24 years, marrying her and having several sons and daughters with her, he has been receiving love letters during his imprisonment.

What are its causes, and why does it occur more in women?

There is no definitive explanation that allows us to understand why hybristophilia exists. Although from an evolutionary perspective it is possible to consider that there are people with genes that lead them to look for a strong, powerful partner with the ability to subdue others. with the ability to subjugate others by force, there is no definitiveThis explanation leaves too many loose ends. It has also been proposed that violent people tend to present a combination of three personality traits that is considered attractive: the Dark Triad.

In contrast, it is possible to understand hybristophilia as the behaviorist perspective understands paraphilias in general. The fact of having gone through the learning of certain contingencies (association between stimuli and actions) may cause some people to become accustomed to conceiving dangerousness as a desirable personal trait. For example, because of the absence of a strong authority figure during youth, which is perceived as a lost opportunity to organize one's life well.

However, when it comes to explaining why hybristophilia occurs more in women, one cannot overlook the concept of patriarchy.a system of authority and power in which men are always at the top. It is hypothesized that because of patriarchy male characteristics are seen as extremely desirable, and violence and subjugation of the rest consistently expresses this kind of values.

Thus, hybristophilia may be one of the consequences of what happens when the logics of patriarchy are learned "too well" and are taken to the ultimate consequences: if the woman must be submissive and accept the authority of the man with whom she forms a couple, it is better that he has the ability to eliminate possible enemies, or to annul them.

Is there a treatment?

There is no specific treatment for the hibristophilia, among other things because to this day it does not appear in the manuals of diagnosis as a mental disorder..

Moreover, it is not a paraphilia based on a very specific erotizing element, such as heels or gloves. What produces attraction is something more abstract, and therefore difficult to control in a clinical context.