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Erotic asphyxiation

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Erotic asphyxiation refers to intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal. It is also called asphyxiophilia, autoerotic asphyxia, scarfing, kotzwarraism, or breath control play. Colloquially, a person engaging in the activity is sometimes called a gasper. The erotic interest in asphyxiation is classified as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association.

Practice

Various methods are used to achieve the level of oxygen depletion needed, such as a hanging, suffocation with a plastic bag over the head, self-strangulation such as with a ligature, gas or volatile solvents, chest compression, or some combination of these.[1] Sometimes, complicated devices are used to produce the desired effects.[2] The practice can be dangerous even if performed with care and has resulted in a significant number of accidental deaths. Uva (1995) writes “Estimates of the mortality rate range of autoerotic asphyxia between 250 to 1000 deaths per year in the United States.”[3] Cases have also been reported in Scandinavia[4] and in Germany.[5][6]

Deaths often occur when the loss of consciousness caused by partial asphyxia leads to loss of control over the means of strangulation, resulting in continued asphyxia and death. While often asphyxiophilia is incorporated into sex with a partner, others enjoy this behavior by themselves, making it potentially more difficult to get out of dangerous situations[7]. Victims are often found to have rigged some sort of "rescue mechanism" that has not worked in the way they anticipated as they lost consciousness. In some cases autoerotic asphyxiation may have triggered carotid sinus reflex death, but this claim is controversial [citation needed].

In some fatality cases, the body of the asphyxiophilic individual is discovered naked or with genitalia in hand, with pornographic magazines nearby, with dildos or other sex toys present, or with evidence of having orgasmed prior to death.[5] Bodies found at the scene of an accidental death often show evidence of other paraphilic activities,[8] such as fetishistic cross-dressing and masochism.[1]

Breath control by a gasmask and a wet piece of leather in a BDSM role play

In the BDSM community, interactions of this nature may be referred to as breathplay or sometimes edgeplay, and generally include a partner. Because, like other forms of edgeplay, breathplay pushes the limits of "safe, sane and consensual" activity, situations involving breath control can be assessed using the acronym RACK or Risk Aware Consensual Kink. Partners are generally expected within this community to be cognizant of and responsible for the dangers that they may take part in.

The great majority of known erotic asphyxial deaths are male; among all known cases in Ontario and Alberta from 1974 to 1987, only one out of 117 cases was female.[1] Some individual cases of women with erotic asphyxia have been reported.[9][10][11][12] The mean age of accidental death is mid-20s,[1][13], but deaths have been reported in adolescents[14][15][16] and in men in their 70s.[13][5]

Lawyers and insurance companies have brought cases to the attention of clinicians because life insurance claims are payable in the event of an accidental death, but not of suicide.[17][18][19]

History

Historically, the practice of autoerotic asphyxiation has been documented since the early 1600s. It was first used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and impotence.[20] The idea for this most likely came from subjects who were executed by hanging. Observers at public hangings noted male victims developed an erection, sometimes remaining after death (death erection), and occasionally ejaculated when being hanged. Note that, however, ejaculation occurs in hanging victims after death because of disseminated muscle relaxation; this is a different mechanism from that sought by AEA practitioners.

Famous cases

The composer Frantisek Kotzwara died from erotic asphyxiation in 1791, probably the first recorded case.

Sada Abe killed her lover, Kichizo Ishida, through erotic asphyxiation in 1936, proceeding to cut off his testicles and carry them in her handbag for a number of days. The case caused a sensation in 1930s Japan and has remained one of the most famous Japanese murder cases of all time.

Stage and screen actor Albert Dekker was found in 1968 with his body graffitized and a noose around his neck in his bathroom.

The artist Vaughn Bodé died from this cause in 1975.

The death in 1994 of Stephen Milligan, the British Conservative MP for Eastleigh, was a case of autoerotic asphyxiation combined with self-bondage.[21]

Kevin Gilbert, a songwriter, musician, composer, producer and collaborator died of apparent autoerotic asphyxiation in 1996.[22]

Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS is rumored to have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation in 1997, although suicide was the official cause of death.[23]

The mysterious 1998 death of heavy metal guitarist Hideto Matsumoto, while officially determined to be a suicide, has been speculated to have been an accident, possibly as a result of auto-erotic asphyxiation.

A more recent case is the death in 2004 of the extreme-right-wing National Front party member Kristian Etchells.[24]

On March 28, 2007, the New York Times had a front-page story on a teenager who had suffered a heart attack and spent three days in a coma after hanging himself for a "rush".[25], in what appeared to be an instance of a choking game.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Blanchard, R., & Hucker, S. J. (1991). Age, transvestism, bondage, and concurrent paraphilic activities in 117 fatal cases of autoerotic asphyxia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 371-377.
  2. ^ O’Halloran, R. L., & Dietz, P. E. (1993). Autoerotic fatalities with power hydraulics. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 38, 359–364.
  3. ^ Uva, J. L. (1995). Review: Autoerotic asphyxiation in the United States. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 40, 574–581.
  4. ^ Innala, S. M., & Ernulf, K. F. (1989). Asphyxiophilia in Scandinavia. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 18, 181–189.
  5. ^ a b c Janssen, W., Koops, E., Anders, S., Kuhn, S., & Püschel, K. (2005). Forensic aspects of 40 accidental autoerotic death in Northern Germany. Forensic Science International, 147 (Suppl.), S61–S64.
  6. ^ Koops, E., Janssen, W., Anders, S., & Püschel, K. (2005). Unusual phenomenology of autoerotic fatalities. Forensic Science International, 147S, S65–S67.
  7. ^ Autoerotic Asphyxiophilia on 'Sexinfo' website, University of Santa Barbara, Ca.
  8. ^ Bogliolo, L. R., Taff, M. L., Stephens, P. J., & Money, J. (1991). A case of autoerotic asphyxia associated with multiplex paraphilia. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 12, 64–73.
  9. ^ Danto, B. (1980). A case of female autoerotic death. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 1, 117–121.
  10. ^ Behrendt, N., Buhl, N., & Seidl, S. (2002). The lethal paraphilic syndrome: Accidental autoerotic deaths in four women and a review of the literature. International Journal of Legal Medicine, 116, 148–152.
  11. ^ Martz, D. (2003). Behavioral treatment for a female engaging in autoerotic asphyxiation. Clinical Case Studies, 2, 236–242.
  12. ^ Sass, F. (1975). Sexual asphyxia in the female. Journal of Forensic Science, 2, 181–185.
  13. ^ a b Burgess, A. W., & Hazelwood, R. R. (1983). Autoerotic deaths and social network response. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 53, 166-170.
  14. ^ Shankel, L. W., & Carr, A. C. (1956). Transvestism and hanging episodes in a male adolescent. Psychiatric Quarterly, 30, 478–493.
  15. ^ Sheehan, W., & Garfinkel, B. D. (1987). Adolescent autoerotic deaths. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 367–370.
  16. ^ Edmondson, J. S. (1972). A case of sexual asphyxis without fatal termination. British Journal of Psychiatry, 121, 437-438.
  17. ^ Cooper, A. J. (1995). “Auto-erotic asphyxial death: Analysis of nineteen fatalities in Alberta”: Comment. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 40, 363–364.
  18. ^ Cooper, A. J. (1996). Auto-erotic asphyxiation: Three case reports. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 22, 47–53.
  19. ^ Garza-Leal, J. A., & Landrom, F. J. (1991). Autoerotic death initially misinterpreted as suicide and a review of the literature. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 36, 1753–1759.
  20. ^ "Erotic Asphyxiation". Lust Magazine. 1997.
  21. ^ Police probe MP's suspicious death BBC News, 8 Feb 1994
  22. ^ Joel Selvin (September 16, 1996). "More Than 'The Piano Player'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  23. ^ Paula challenges Hutchence verdictBBC News, 10 Aug 1999
  24. ^ National Front member died during sex act Oldham Advertiser, 27 Jan 2005
  25. ^ Teenager Casts Light on a Shadowy Game New York Times 28 Mar 2007

Further reading

  • Robert R. Hazelwood, Park Elliot Dietz, Ann Wolbert Burgess: Autoerotic Fatalities. Lexington, Mass.: LexingtonBooks, 1983.
  • Sergey Sheleg, Edwin Ehrlich: Autoerotic Asphyxiation: Forensic, Medical, and Social Aspects. Tucson, AZ: Wheatmark, 2006.
  • John Money, Gordon Wainwright and David Hingsburger: The Breathless Orgasm: A Lovemap Biography of Asphyxiophilia. Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books, 1991.
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