Page:Psychopathia Sexualis (tr. Chaddock, 1892).djvu/433



The following lines are of interest to the psychologist, and offer the officers of the law important facts concerning the social life and practice of pederasts:—

Coffignon, "La Corruption à Paris,” p. 327, divides active pederasts into "amateurs," "entreteneurs," and "souteneurs."

The "amateurs" ("rivettes") are debauched persons, but also frequently congenitally perverse sexually, of position and fortune, who are forced to guard themselves against detection in the gratification of their homo-sexual desires. For this purpose they visit brothels, lodging-houses, or the private houses of female prostitutes, who are usually on good terms with male prostitutes. Thus they escape blackmail.

Some of these "amateurs" are cunning enough to indulge their vile desires in public places. They thus run the risk of arrest, but, in a large city, little risk of blackmail. Danger is said to add to their secret pleasure.

The "entreteneurs" are old sinners who, even with the danger of falling into the hands of blackmailers, cannot deny themselves the pleasure of keeping a (male) mistress.

The "souteneurs" are pederasts that have been punished, who keep their "jesus," whom they send out to entice customers ("faire chanter les rivettes"), and who then, at the right moment, if possible, appear for the purpose of plucking the victim.

Not infrequently they live together in bands, the members, in accordance with individual desire, living together as husbands and wives.