Vorarephilia (often shortened to vore) is a

paraphilia Paraphilia (previously known as sexual perversion and sexual deviation) is the experience of intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, fantasies, behaviors, or individuals. It has also been defined as sexual interest in anything ot ...

characterized by the erotic desire to be consumed by, or sometimes to personally consume, another person or creature, or an erotic attraction to the process of eating in general practice. Since vorarephilic fantasies cannot usually be acted out in reality, they are often expressed in stories or drawings shared on the Internet. The word ''vorarephilia'' is derived from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''vorare'' (to "

swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...

" or "devour"), and

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

φιλία (''philía'', "

love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

"). The fantasy usually involves the victim being swallowed whole, though occasionally the victims are chewed up, and digestion may or may not be included. Vore fantasies are separated from sexual

cannibalism Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, b ...

because the living victim is normally swallowed whole. The consumer is sometimes human, but animals, dragons, giant snakes, and other creatures can also appear frequently in these fantasies. After consumption, the enlarged belly of the consumer is often described with great care. Vore is most often enjoyed through pictures, stories, videos, and

video games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

, and it can appear in mainstream media. In some cases, vorarephilia may be described as a variation of

macrophilia Macrophilia is a fascination with or a sexual fantasy involving giants, most commonly expressed as giantesses (female giants), as well as giant objects. It is typically believed to be a male fantasy, with the male playing the smaller part; howev ...

and may combine with other paraphilias. Apart from macrophilia, vore fantasies often have themes of

BDSM BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged ...

microphilia Paraphilias are sexual interests in objects, situations, or individuals that are atypical. The American Psychiatric Association, in its DSM-5, ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition'' (DSM), draws a distinction between paraphilias (w ...

pregnancy fetishism Pregnancy fetishism (also known as maiesiophilia or maieusophoria) is a context where pregnancy is seen by individuals or cultures as an erotic phenomenon. It may involve sexual attraction to women who are pregnant or appear pregnant, attraction to ...

, anthropomorphized animals, "unbirthing" (a desire to be swallowed whole into the vagina and returned to the uterus), and sexual cannibalism. One

case study A case study is an in-depth, detailed examination of a particular case (or cases) within a real-world context. For example, case studies in medicine may focus on an individual patient or ailment; case studies in business might cover a particular fi ...

analysis connected the fantasy with

sexual masochism Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...

, and suggested that it could be motivated by a desire to merge with a more powerful other or permanently escape loneliness. With "no known treatment" for vorarephiles who feel ill at ease with their sexuality, psychologists at Toronto's

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH, pronounced , french: Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale) is a psychiatric teaching hospital located in Toronto and ten community locations throughout the province of Ontario, Canada. It re ...

have recommended trying to "adjust to, rather than change or suppress" the sexual interest. Medication for

libido Libido (; colloquial: sex drive) is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotransmitters that act up ...

reduction could be used if deemed necessary.

References

External links

* * {{Sex fetish Paraphilias Sexual fetishism

See also

References

External links