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Frotteurism refers to a paraphilic interest in rubbing, usually one's pelvis
or erect penis, against a non-consenting person for sexual gratification. It may
involve touching any part of the body including the genital area. A person who
practices frotteurism is known as a frotteur. The majority of frotteurs
are male and the majority of victims are female, although female on male, female on female, and male on male frotteurs exist.
Adult on child frotteurism can be an early stage in child sexual
abuse. This activity is
often done in circumstances where the victim cannot easily respond, in a public place such as a
crowded train or at a rock concert.
Usually such nonconsensual sexual contact is viewed as criminal offence: a
form of sexual assault
albeit often classified as a misdemeanor with minor legal penalties. Conviction
may result in a sentence or psychiatric treatment. The term frotteurism derives from the French verb frotter
meaning 'to rub'. The term frotteur is the French noun literally meaning
'rubber' or 'one who rubs'.
The psychiatric handbook, the DSM (see below), used to call this sexual
disorder by the name frottage until the second edition (DSM II). However,
this term is no longer used in the USA to refer to the sexual disorder, which is now called
frotteurism, as it is in the current fourth edition (DSM IV).
Nevertheless, the term frottage still remains in some law codes and is
synonymous with the term frotteurism. "Frottage" is now used for
consensual rubbing as part of normal sexual activity. The professional handbook of the American Psychiatric
Association (APA), the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM IV),
lists the following diagnostic criteria for frotteurism.
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