Piquerism (from the French ''piquer'' - "to prick") is a sexual interest in penetrating the skin of another person with sharp objects (such as pins, razors, knives, etc.). Sometimes, this is serious enough to cause extreme injuries or even death.
Piquerism is a
paraphilia as well as a form of
sadism. The most frequently targeted areas of the body are the breasts, buttocks, and groin.
Examples
Andrei Chikatilo
Soviet
serial killer Andrei Chikatilo was
impotent
Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is the type of sexual dysfunction in which the penis fails to become or stay erect during sexual activity. It is the most common sexual problem in men.Cunningham GR, Rosen RC. Overview of male ...
and could only achieve sexual arousal through stabbing and cutting people with a knife.
Jack the Ripper
Dr.
Robert D. Keppel and his colleagues concluded in an analysis of
London's
Jack the Ripper murders of 1888 that "the injuries sustained by the victims displayed the signature characteristic of picquerism."
Albert Fish
American serial killer
Albert Fish
Hamilton Howard "Albert" Fish (May 19, 1870 – January 16, 1936) was an American serial killer, Rape, rapist, child molestation, child molester, and cannibalism, cannibal who committed at least three child murders from July 1924 to June 1 ...
has been said to have engaged in piquerism upon his victims and his own body,
flagellating himself constantly with a nail-studded board. After his arrest and subsequent jailing for the murder of Grace Budd, an
X-ray revealed at least 29
needles that were inserted into his groin and pelvic region.
Frank Ranieri
A 25-year old American was arrested in June 2007 for bribing multiple young females with large sums of money in exchange for poking their buttocks with sharp objects.
Elaine O'Hara
Elaine O'Hara was murdered in 2012 by a man, architect Graham Dwyer, whose sexual behaviour matches piquerism.
See also
*
London Monster
The London Monster was the name given to an alleged attacker of women in London between 1788 and 1790. The attacker had a signature behaviour of piquerism, the pricking or stabbing of victims with a knife, pin or needle.
History
The first ...
* "Pique", an episode of ''
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' with piquerism as a main plot element
Footnotes
{{paraphilia
BDSM terminology
Paraphilias