Erotophonophilia is a paraphilia (unusual sexual interest or attraction) that centres on the act (real or imagined) of committing murder; it is the most extreme form of sexual sadism. Erotophonophiliacs tend to fantasize about beating, stabbing, strangling and mutilating their victim(s); they also engage in idealized
narcissistic fantasies of domination and
utter control over their victim(s). Murders committed by erotophonophiliacs are often marked by genital mutilation or dismemberment, and disembowelment. Erotophonophiliacs are more likely to be primary
psychopaths than non-erotophonophiliacs, more likely to engage in cruelty to animals, and also more likely to become serial murderers. They are more likely than other murderers to engage in
cannibalism, torture and 'trophy keeping'.
This paraphilia finds its counterpart in autoassassinophilia, where the person derives sexual satisfaction through their real or imagined death through murder.
~Many serial murderers are/were erotophonophiliacs:
Elizabeth Bathory,
Jack the Ripper,
Richard Ramirez, Dennis Rader, Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgeway etc.
~While it is normal to occasionally imagine violent ends for others, especially those who offend you, engaging in erotophonophilic fantasy is relatively more unusual and worrisome.
~The erotophonophiliac slit his victims' throat and then disemboweled her, removing and carrying off her uterus.