Voyeurism: Explore Your Pleasure in Watching Others Safely

Fetishes often spice up sexual relationships by playing with the imagination. But what happens when this desire jeopardizes your intimacy and the intimacy of the other? In this article, you know about voyeurism, a practice that promotes pleasure through observation and that, like any other sexual act, requires consent.

What is voyeurism?

“Voyeurism is a fetish in which arousal is achieved by observing other people in intimate situations. It can be the sexual act itself, but it also includes other situations like changing clothes”, explains sexologist Nathalie Raibolt.

In general, the voyeur is portrayed in audiovisual and literature as the one who spies, often hidden, without consent. However, Nathalie explains that, in the real world, the practice without authorization is illegal.

“Many practitioners are allowed to observe, as it may not be simple to catch someone off guard. Depending on what he wants to watch, it’s almost impossible”, says the professional. Therefore, it is common for fetishists, as the sexologist calls them, to look for like-minded people and arrange meetings to practice.

At this point, the internet has facilitated the practice. “Without a doubt, the internet facilitates not only voyeurism, but all fetishes. It is common, for example, for a fetish to cause anguish in those who wish to practice it because of the belief that they are the only person in the world with this desire. The internet has naturalized many fetishes and allowed practitioners to exchange information and form interest groups. Within a group of the same interest, the chance of having sex with consent is greater”, says the professional.

Therefore, to practice it is necessary, yes, authorization. “We consider consent to be the cornerstone of healthy sexual practice,” he says. By ignoring this permission, the voyeurist may end up committing a crime, as it violates the privacy of the other, say Nathalie and criminal lawyer Juliana Abreu.

Features of voyeurism

Do you know how to recognize a voyeur? Nathalie Raibolt points out three predominant characteristics of this fetish. Are they:

• The voyeur does not participate in the sexual act or in the situation of intimacy, his pleasure comes only from the observation of the other;
• Its presence goes unnoticed in the environment;
• The voyeur prioritizes having time to observe.

5 questions answered by experts

Are you considering voyeurism? Nathalie and criminal lawyer Juliana Abreu explain everything you need to know about the fetish and how to protect yourself in the process. Check out!

Are there specific environments for the practice of voyeurism?

According to the sexologist, some swing houses have environments designed for voyeurism. This can be an alternative for those who can’t or don’t want to do it at home. There are also online platforms, such as Sento Even.

When does voyeurism become a problem?

“The problem with any fetish is when it is not possible to achieve pleasure in any other way, when it generates a rigidity in sexual practice”, warns the sexologist. The fetish is only one of the means of obtaining pleasure, not the only one.

Is voyeurism a crime in Brazil?

According to Juliana, the practice itself is not a crime. However, some situations arising from the lack of consent and knowledge of the other can indeed constitute crimes. “Registering, by photo or video, the practice of any sexual act without the prior authorization of any person involved in the act constitutes a crime provided for in art. 216-B of the Penal Code. And sharing this content without authorization, whether by selling, offering or simply sharing it for free, constitutes the crime of art. 218-C of the Penal Code. Still, whoever reposts this content is also committing this crime”, warns the professional.

Can it be considered a form of harassment?

Not. Juliana explains that, in law, harassment has another definition: “to embarrass someone with the aim of obtaining sexual advantage or favor, the agent taking precedence over his/her condition of hierarchical superior or ancestry inherent to the exercise of employment, position or function”.

What precautions should you take on the internet?

“Beware of the violation of privacy and risky situations when the fetish leaves the internet for real life, with profiteers. The risk for those who watch, in fact, is lower than for those who expose themselves – which characterizes another fetish: exhibitionism”, warns Nathalie.

Who else suffers from non-consensual voyeurism? How to report?

“The female gender definitely falls victim to criminal voyeurism, let’s call it that, much more often. The objectification of the feminine and the woman and the supremacy of machismo and patriarchy, which culminate in the culture of rape, are the roots of this stir that victimizes so many female people”, says the lawyer. To start an investigation, just take any type of evidence you have access to, such as prints, messages in apps and images, to the police station.

In the case of internet practice, Juliana also advises opening a police report. “If you have the data of the person who leaked the material, you can hand it over to the police. If it doesn’t, a technical investigation will be needed to get to the real culprit and all the people who passed the material on,” she says.

Each person has a fetish and ways to feel pleasure in bed, if there is consent, everything is released! A tip to explore your sexuality more is to use and abuse erotic games, they can help bring novelty to sex.