Hybristophilia is sexual interest in and attraction to those who commit crimes. The term hybristophilia was coined by John Money in 1986 and is derived from the Greek word hubrizein (ὑβρίζειν), meaning "to commit an outrage against someone" (ultimately derived from hubris ὕβρις, "hubris"), and philo, meaning "having a strong affinity/preference for". In popular culture, this phenomenon is also known as the "Bonnie and Clyde syndrome."
Manifestation Manifestations of hybristophilia include the romanticization of criminals, especially serial killers. Many high-profile criminals, particularly those who have committed atrocious crimes, receive "fan mail" in prison that is sometimes amorous or sexual, presumably because of this phenomenon. Women who write pen-pal letters to or even pursue men who are incarcerated for a crime are sometimes referred to as a prison groupie or a serial killer groupie. Although rare, hybristophilia has also been reported in men. In some cases, admirers of these criminals have gone on to marry the object of their affections in prison. Social media contributions for an easier method of showcasing attraction to the criminal hybristophilia have also been discussed; a 2023 paper stated that "If social media platforms including TikTok provide users with the ability to freely express themselves publicly and anonymously, then individuals wanting to showcase and share their affection and admiration for criminal offenders might opt to utilize these platforms for this purpose."
Causes Some speculations have been offered as to the cause of hybristophilia. Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology at DeSales University, mentions that some of the women who have married or dated male serial killers have offered the following reasons: "Some believe they can change a man as cruel and powerful as a serial killer. Others 'see' the little boy that the killer once was and seek to nurture him. A few hoped to share in the media spotlight or get a book or movie deal. Then there's the notion of the 'perfect boyfriend'. She knows where he is at all times, and she knows he's thinking about her. While she can claim that someone loves her, she does not have to endure the day-to-day issues involved in most relationships. There's no laundry to do, no cooking for him, and no accountability to him. She can keep the fantasy charged up for a long time." Ramsland also states "Some mental health experts have compared infatuation with killers to extreme forms of fanaticism. They view such women as insecure females who cannot find love in normal ways or as 'love-avoidant' females who seek romantic relationships that cannot be consummated", though she notes that there are also several examples of hybristophiliacs who are beautiful, educated, and married. Psychologist Leon F. Seltzer proposes the condition could be related to the riskiness involved with dating a criminal, the desire to tame or fix them, and primitive instincts based on evolutionary psychology. In the latter theory, he mentions dominance is attractive as it would mean such men could protect women and their offspring, according to evolutionary history. Seltzer says women today may consciously realize that it is unwise to date a serial killer, but they are nevertheless attracted to them; he stated, "as a therapist I've encountered many women who bemoaned their vulnerability toward dominant men who, consciously, they recognized were all wrong for them". As evidence of women's fantasy preference for dominant men, he refers to the book A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World's Largest Experiment Reveals about Human Desire by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam. Seltzer discusses Ogas and Gaddam's argument that this fantasy is the dominant plot of most erotic/romantic books and movies written for women, but the fantasy always holds that this male dominance is conditional, "it doesn't really represent the man's innermost reality". He also says in reality, very few women are actually swayed by these "primitive instincts". Elizabeth Gurian wrote that hybristophilia may be a result of an individual being the victim of abuse or having a stimulation-seeking behavior. A linkage was also made to the case of it being for the purpose of 'controlling fear', in which people consciously or unconsciously deny the threat in accordance with the extended parallel process model.
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