The motives that bring to pederasty a man originally normal sexually and of sound mind are various. It is used temporarily as a means of sexual satisfaction faute de mieux,—as in infrequent cases of bestiality,—where abstinence from normal sexual indulgence is a necessity.[[144]] It thus occurs on ship-board during long voyages, in prisons, in baths, etc. It is highly probable that, among men subjected to such conditions, there are single individuals of low morals and great sensuality, or actual urnings, who seduce the others. Lust, imitation, and desire further their purpose.
The strength of the sexual instinct is most markedly shown by the fact that such circumstances are sufficient to overcome repugnance for the unnatural act.
Another category of pederasts is made up of old roues that have become supersatiated in normal sexual indulgence, and who find in pederasty a means of exciting sensual pleasure, the act being a new method of stimulation. Thus they temporarily renew their power, that has been psychically and physically reduced to so low a state. The new sexual situation makes them, so to speak, relatively potent, and makes pleasure possible that is no longer possible in normal intercourse. In time power to indulge in pederasty is also lost. The individual may thus finally be reduced to passive pederasty as a stimulus to make possible temporary active pederasty; just as, occasionally, flagellation or looking on at obscene acts (Maschka’s case of mutilation of animals) is resorted to for the same purpose.
The termination of sexual activity expresses itself in all kinds of abuse of children,—cunnilingus, fellare, and other enormities.
This kind of pederasts is the most dangerous, since they deal mostly with boys, and ruin them in body and soul.
In reference to this, the experiences of Tarnowsky (op. cit., p. 53 et seq.), gathered from the society of St. Petersburg, are terrible. The places where pederasty is cultivated are Institutes. Old roués and urnings play the rôle of seducers. At first it is difficult for the person to carry out the disgusting act. Fancy is made to assist by calling up the image of a woman. Gradually, with practice, the unnatural act becomes easy, and at last the individual, like one injured by masturbation, becomes relatively impotent for women, and lustful enough to find pleasure in the perverse act. Such individuals, under certain circumstances, give themselves for money.
As Tardieu, Hofmann, Simon, and Taylor show, such individuals are not infrequently found in large cities. From numerous statements made to me by urnings, it is learned that actual prostitution and houses of prostitution for male-loving men exist in large cities. The arts of coquetry used by these male prostitutes are noteworthy,—ornament, perfumes, feminine styles of dress, etc., to attract pederasts and urnings. This imitation of feminine peculiarities is spontaneous and unconscious in congenital cases, and in many acquired cases of (abnormal) contrary sexual instinct.
The following lines are of interest to the psychologist, and offer the officers of the law important facts concerning the social life and practice of pederasts:—
Coffignon, “La Corruption à Paris,” p. 327, divides active pederasts into “amateurs,” “entreteneurs,” and “souteneurs.”
The “amateurs” (“rivettes”) are debauched persons, but also frequently congenitally perverse sexually, of position and fortune, who are forced to guard themselves against detection in the gratification of their homo-sexual desires. For this purpose they visit brothels, lodging-houses, or the private houses of female prostitutes, who are usually on good terms with male prostitutes. Thus they escape blackmail.