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International Journal of Impotence Research (2013) 26, 5154& 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved 0955-9930/13
http://www.nature.com/ijir
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The sexual attraction toward disabilities: a preliminary internet-based study
E Limoncin1,3, R Carta1,3, GL Gravina1,2, E Carosa1, G Ciocca1, S Di Sante1, AM Isidori2, A Lenzi2 and EA Jannini1
Devotism, dened as sexual attraction toward disabilities, has not undergone extensive study. To verify whether devotees have characteristics suggestive of a paraphilic behavior, an ad hoc internet questionnaire was developed to study a population of 209 subjects enrolled from online devotee communities. With respect to the sexual preference, we observe a rst population comprising subjects sexually attracted by disability per se and considers it as an erotic object. In the absence of disability, this group is also unable to become sexually aroused and experiences discomfort due to their condition. The second subpopulation comprises subjects attracted by specic characteristics of people with disabilities such as adaptability, fortitude, courage and ability to overcome obstacles. This group experiences low levels of discomfort for their sexual preference. Further studies will be necessary to conrm these data.
International Journal of Impotence Research (2013) 26, 5154; doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2013.34
Web End =10.1038/ijir.2013.34 ; published online 19 September 2013
Keywords: devotism; disability and sexuality; paraphilia; sexual attraction
INTRODUCTIONPhysical or mental disability may alter the way individuals express their sexuality and may profoundly change feelings about sex.However, disabilities do not necessarily destroy interest in sexual activity, and people with disabilities can frequently both experience and provide sexual pleasure. If on the one hand people affected by disabilities experience their sexuality, then on the other hand they can also be the object of desire for some people sexually aroused by the disability itself.
Sexual attraction to disability (minor, such as missing ngers, or severe, such as blindness, limb amputation or quadriplegia) is known as devotism,1 and subjects who are specically interested in and sexually aroused by people with disabilities call themselves devotees. They have two additional subgroups, including people who want to become amputees and refer to themselves as wannabes2 and able-bodied people who act as if they have a disability by using assistive devices (pretenders).2
Historically, the term devotism has undergone some modications: in the nineties, attraction toward disability was dened as acrotomophilia,3...