变异的性行为

这个不断膨胀的“性副态（paraphilia）”的一览表终于被证明连精神病学家也感到不满意，因而他们开始缩减和修订它。这样的修订似乎在将来也会继续下去。在修订期间，大家始终有一个共识，那就是应该区分两类性欲变异行为(erotic variation)[1]：

1. 不伤害他人和只是偶尔为之或罕见的性欲变异行为。只要这些性欲变异行为保持私密性和不招惹公众对他们过度的关注，最好得到社会的忽略或容忍。如果相反，社会可根据情况适度地做出反应。对于有各自特点的性伴来说，有一个简单的规则：如果这样的性欲变异行为稳定或至少不损害双方的关系，就没有什么问题。但是，如果它导致争执和分歧，性伴双方可能必须分开并寻找更合适的性伴。

2. 对他人造成某些具体伤害或对所涉及的个人正带来麻烦的性欲变异行为(例如，因为性欲变异行为是强迫的)。根据这样的情形，某些专业人员的照料可能有助于问题的解决甚或是必须的。这种照料可能是精神病治疗或其他的医学治疗，不过可能也是某种非医学的心理咨询服务。如果违反了法律，某种形式的法律强制措施可能是需要启动的：逮捕和起诉，可能需要惩罚。在某些案例，这种惩罚可能不得不加强或随之被强制性的治疗。在非常罕见的案例，罪犯可能必须被托付给精神病收容所多年甚或在那里度过余生。在其它的罕见案例，他可能被确定不为他的犯罪行为负责，并可能在不受惩罚之下委托他人对其进行监护。

在本教程里，此处所涉及的这些问题的复杂性不允许我们做深入的讨论。不过，在以下的简要阐述的内容里，我们至少能提供这两种性欲变异行为的某些例子。

[1].即本教程所论及的变异的性行为。——译者注。                                             

Historical Background 6: A Practical Distinction

The ever-expanding lists of “paraphilias” eventually proved unsatisfactory even to psychiatrists, and thus they began to shorten and revise it. Such revisions are likely to continue in the future. In the meantime, there is already a general consensus that one should distinguish between two kinds of erotic variations:

1. Erotic variations that do not harm others and are simply odd or rare. These are best ignored or tolerated by society as long as they remain private and do not call undue public attention to themselves. If they do, the appropriate social reaction depends on the circumstances. For individual couples, there is a simple rule: If such a variation stabilizes or at least does not impair the relationship, there is no problem. However, if it causes disagreement and disharmony, the couple may have to separate and look for more suitable partners.

2. Erotic variations that cause some concrete harm to another person or are troubling to the individual concerned (for example, because they are compulsive). Depending on the case, some professional attention may be helpful or even required. This may be some psychiatric or other medical treatment, but it may also be some form of non-medical psychological counseling. If the law has been broken, some form of law enforcement may be called for: Arrest and trial, possibly punishment. In some cases, the punishment may have to be augmented or followed by therapy. In very rare cases, the offender may have to be committed to a psychiatric institution for many years or even for the rest of his life. In other rare cases, he may be found not responsible for his criminal actions and may be so committed without punishment.

The complexity of the issues involved here does not allow us a thorough discussion in this course. However, in the following brief sections, we can provide at least some examples of both kinds of erotic variations.