What Is “Frotteurism” And How Should I Respond To Molestation Of My Child?
Question submitted November 3, 2002: Our family attended a public event recently. We happened to be standing outside in the cold night air with aquaintences when my seventeen year old daughter was offered a coat by the husband of our aquaintence. She accepted, but when he put his coat on my daughter, he reached from behind and ‘patted’ the front of the coat seemingly to ensure that it was closed. My daughter looked at me in dismay as we were standing in front of several thousand people receiving recognition for accomplishments. I spoke to a friend who is a therapist. He stated that this man should be reported because he committed froetterism (sp?). Could you please (1) help with the spelling and (2) explain more about this term. We are going to pursue this by confronting this man, possibly even reporting him. CyberShrink’s answer posted 11-4-02: The correct spelling of the term is “Frotteurism”. The behvior to which it refers, according to the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Disor
