Psychologists and psychiatrists use the term paraphilia to refer to unusual sexual interests. In other words, a paraphilia represents a desire for an uncommon sexual object or activity. Hundreds of different paraphilias have been described at one time or another; however, there are only eight specific paraphilias listed in the current DSM: fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, pedophilia, masochism, and sadism.

While these interests have long been thought to be rare, little data exists regarding their prevalence in the population at large. In fact, the vast majority of the research conducted on these topics so far has been limited to clinical samples, which don’t really give us much indication as to how many people might have these interests at one time or another. However, recent research suggests that they’re far more common than previously thought.

For example, in a new study published the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers surveyed 775 college students in Italy about their sexual fantasies and behaviors [1]. They found that just over half of the men (50.6%) and more than 4 in 10 women (41.5%) reported having engaged in at least one behavior that has been deemed “paraphilic” before.

Men were more likely to report most paraphilic fantasies and behaviors than women, including voyeurism, sadism, frotteurism, and exhibitionism. By contrast, women were more likely than men to have fantasies and behaviors about masochism and fetishism.

These findings are strikingly similar to those of a recent study that included a much more diverse sample of over 1,000 Canadian adults aged 18-64 [2]. Results from this study are shown in the table below (and, as you’ll see, the same pattern of gender differences emerged).