This week on Profiler Africa, Paul and Gerard Labuschagne unpack one of the strangest and most misunderstood areas in forensic psychology: autoerotic fatality.

These are accidental deaths that occur during solo sexual activity when methods used to heighten arousal — like asphyxiation, electrocution, or body wrapping — end in tragedy. Misunderstood, often staged by families, and sometimes mistaken for suicide or murder, these cases present unique challenges for investigators and forensic psychologists.

Gerard takes us inside this hidden phenomenon: what it is, how it happens, why it matters legally, and what myths need debunking.

In this episode:
• Definition & Scope — what autoerotic fatality is and how it differs from suicide.
• The Psychology — the role of asphyxophilia and oxygen deprivation in arousal.
• Methods & MO — from ligatures to electrocution and immersion.
• Legal Implications — why classification matters for families, insurers, and investigators.
• Myths vs Reality — who the victims really are.
• Identification Criteria — how investigators distinguish accidents from suicides or homicides.
• Staging & Misinterpretation — when scenes are altered to hide embarrassment.
• Case Studies — real examples that illustrate how these cases unfold.

📩 Questions or sponsorships: profilerafricainfo@gmail.com
🌍 Website: plotshift.co.za

#ProfilerAfrica #AutoeroticFatality #GerardLabuschagne #ForensicPsychology #Profiler #CrimeExplained #TrustNobody

This week on Profiler Africa, Paul and Gerard Labuschagne unpack one of the strangest and most misunderstood areas in forensic psychology: autoerotic fatality.

These are accidental deaths that occur during solo sexual activity when methods used to heighten arousal — like asphyxiation, electrocution, or body wrapping — end in tragedy. Misunderstood, often staged by families, and sometimes mistaken for suicide or murder, these cases present unique challenges for investigators and forensic psychologists.

Gerard takes us inside this hidden phenomenon: what it is, how it happens, why it matters legally, and what myths need debunking.

In this episode:
• Definition & Scope — what autoerotic fatality is and how it differs from suicide.
• The Psychology — the role of asphyxophilia and oxygen deprivation in arousal.
• Methods & MO — from ligatures to electrocution and immersion.
• Legal Implications — why classification matters for families, insurers, and investigators.
• Myths vs Reality — who the victims really are.
• Identification Criteria — how investigators distinguish accidents from suicides or homicides.
• Staging & Misinterpretation — when scenes are altered to hide embarrassment.
• Case Studies — real examples that illustrate how these cases unfold.

📩 Questions or sponsorships: profilerafricainfo@gmail.com
🌍 Website: plotshift.co.za

#ProfilerAfrica #AutoeroticFatality #GerardLabuschagne #ForensicPsychology #Profiler #CrimeExplained #TrustNobody

This week on Profiler Africa, Paul and Gerard Labuschagne are joined by Dr Nathan Brooks, a forensic psychologist and senior lecturer recognised internationally for his research on psychopathy and behavioural risk.

Dr Brooks has worked with government, law enforcement, and the private sector on threat assessment, lone-actor violence, and personality disorders, and is known for cutting through myths about psychopaths — not just in criminal settings but also in workplaces and everyday life.

In this episode, we look at psychopathy through a New Zealand lens. From lone-actor violence and radicalisation to the rise of “successful” or corporate psychopaths, Dr Brooks and Gerard unpack what makes someone dangerous, how risk is assessed, and whether we can ever truly predict violence before it happens.

• Psychopaths in New Zealand — how they show up in both crime and corporate life.
• Risk & Threat Assessment — tools used to spot danger before it strikes.
• Lone-Actor Violence — what NZ has learned since Christchurch, and what risks remain.
• Corporate Psychopaths — why some thrive in boardrooms rather than behind bars.
• Myths vs Reality — what people get wrong about psychopathy, and what the science actually shows.

📩 Questions or sponsorships: profilerafricainfo@gmail.com
🌍 Website: plotshiftcrime.co.za

#ProfilerAfrica #Psychopathy #NewZealand #GerardLabuschagne #NathanBrooks #ForensicPsychology #ThreatAssessment #CorporatePsychopaths #ViolencePrevention #PlotShiftCrime

In this episode: