The Exhibitionist

Frank was a 22-year -old single man referred following his fourth arrest for exhibitionism .He would usually expose himself from his car to women up to their late  20s. The victim's response was to laugh ,to be started and run away or to make harsh comments to him .Following his first exposures ,he concluded that there was nothing to it ,and he did not expose himself again until 4 months later. Since then, he exposed himself 2 or 3 times per month. Exposures occurred in waves, followed by periods of up to a year of no exhibitionism. His four arrests had led to minimal consequences for him. During the year prior to referral, he had a rich , enjoyable sexual relationship with his girlfriend, with frequent intercourse and without sexual dysfunction.

                An intelligent student, Frank logically appreciated the inappropriateness of his exposing himself. Although he hoped for a sexual encounter with one of his victims, it never occurred. Although 15 percent of his masturbatory fantasies involved recalling previous episodes of exposing his remaining fantasies were of normal heterosexual intercourse. An increased intensity of his urges to expose were provoked by seeing female peers walking or driving by themselves. He would follow a woman in his car while fantasizing her possible positive reaction should he expose himself. These fantasies were soon accompanied by masturbation while driving. His excitement and anxiety intensified   as the time of his attempted exposure   approached. Exposure was usually to a woman in her car while driving his car, a technically difficult feat fraught with danger.

Typical was his careless disregard for protecting his identity. Frank made minimal attempts to conceal his appearance, the characteristics of his car, or even his license plate. After a series of exposures, he would be over come by depression and intense guilt. He would resolve not to expose himself again, but after 1 to 6 weeks, his cycle of recurrent urges and exposures would return.