Somnophilia (from Latin somnus "sleep" and Greek φιλία, -philia "friendship") is a paraphilia in which an individual becomes sexually aroused by someone who is asleep or unconscious. The Dictionary of Psychology categorized somnophilia within the classification of predatory paraphilias. He characterized the condition as a type of sexual fetishism, He wrote that often the condition then subsequently involves the individual waking the unresponsive sexual partner after the act has been committed. Money wrote that somnophilia has a high degree of correlation with acts of incest throughout history. Abuse may follow from the condition including use of force or abduction. Typically, the individual upon whom the sex act is committed by the somnophiliac is a stranger not previously known intimately to the individual. The somnophiliac may create an unconscious state in the victim by drugging them, or may engage in sex with someone who is inebriated or asleep. The perpetrator becomes attracted to the idea of a sexual participant who is unable to resist their advances. The Dictionary of Psychology categorized somnophilia within the classification of predatory paraphilias.
Prevalence
A 2015 study with a sample of 1516 participants reported that 22.6% of men and 10.8% of women have fantasized about "sexually abusing a person who is drunk, asleep, or unconscious." Another 2021 study by Michael Seto found that 9% of its participants have had interest in "sex with someone who is unconscious or sleeping" and 7.7% engaged in such behavior. A third study reported that 82% of its sample have had interest in engaging in consensual sexual activities with a sleeping partner, and 47% reported some interest in non-consensual somnophilic activities. These studies suggest that somnophilic fantasies are more common than previously thought, though possible sample biases have been identified in some of them. Researchers including Danielle Knafo note the importance of distinguishing between somnophilic sex as a crime and as a fantasy, role-play, or fetish activity between consenting partners.
Treatment
Physicians have attempted to treat somnophilia with forms of psychotherapy, as well as with medications used for pedophilia. The plot of the film involves a surgeon who drugs his female patients in order to rape them.