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Offense

Frotteurism

Sexual and Injurious Acts Against the Person

Frotteurism is a paraphilic interest in rubbing, usually the pelvic area or an erect penis, against a non-consenting person for sexual pleasure, with a person who acts on the interest known as a frotteur. A related practice, toucherism, involves sexual arousal from grabbing or rubbing one's hands against an unexpecting and non-consenting person, typically targeting the breasts, buttocks or genital area, and while some mental health professionals treat toucherism as closely related to frotteurism, others regard the two as distinct. Treatment for frotteurism typically combines cognitive behavioral therapy with the administration of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Facts
Classification Code
ICD-10 code F65.8 1
Typical Penalty
Nonconsensual frotteuristic contact is usually treated as a criminal offense, a form of sexual assault often classified as a misdemeanor carrying minor legal penalties. 1
Elements of Offense
Frotteuristic disorder requires recurrent and intense sexual arousal from touching or rubbing against a nonconsenting person, manifested by fantasies, urges, or behaviors, sustained over at least six months. 1
Jurisdiction Variation
Some law codes still use the older term frottage rather than frotteurism to refer to the same offense. 1
Classification
Offense Grade
Minor or Summary Offense 1
Connections

Has Offense Grade

Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.

Sources
1. Frotteurism (Wikipedia)
  • Prevalence and legality section
    Usually, such nonconsensual sexual contact is viewed as a criminal offense: a form of sexual assault albeit often classified as a misdemeanor with minor legal penalties.
  • Wikidata claim P494, ICD-10 ID
    F65.8
  • Symptoms and classification section, diagnostic criteria list
    recurrent and intense sexual arousal from touching or rubbing against a nonconsenting person, as manifested by fantasies, urges, or behaviors.
  • Etymology and history section
    Nevertheless, the term frottage still remains in some law codes where it is synonymous with the term frotteurism.
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