What is necrophilia characterized by?

Necrophilia is specifically characterized by the desire to engage in sexual activity with corpses or deceased individuals. This behavior can stem from a range of psychological issues and is viewed as a paraphilic disorder. The act of forming a sexual attraction to deceased persons or the act itself is central to defining necrophilia.

Understanding the other options helps clarify this definition further. The first option refers to sexual attraction toward living individuals, which is a fundamental aspect of human sexuality and does not apply to necrophilia. The third option involves harmful intentions toward others, which is unrelated to the sexual component inherent in necrophilia. Lastly, the fourth option describes a compulsion related to theft, which does not connect to sexual desire or attraction in any form. Therefore, the defining characteristic of necrophilia revolves solely around sexual interest in the deceased.