criminal psychology-第93节
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eminine witnesses might take toward the matter。 First of all； the needs of individual women are as different as those of individual men； and as varied as the need for food； drink； warmth； rest； and a hundred other animal requirements。 We shall be unable to find any standard by determining even an average。 It is useless to say that sexual sensibility is less in woman than in man； because specialists contradict each other on this matter。 We are not aided either by Sergi's＇2＇ assertion； that the sensibility is less than the irritability in woman； or by Mantegazza's statement； that women rarely have such powerful sexual desire that it causes them pain。 We can learn here； also； only by means of the interpretation of good particular observations。 When； for example； the Italian positivists repeatedly assert that woman is less erotic and more sexual； they mean that man cares more about the satisfaction of the sexual impulse； woman about the maternal instinct。 This piece of information may help us to explain some cases； at least we shall understand many a girl's mistake without needing immediately to presuppose rape； seduction by means of promises of marriage； etc。 Once we have in mind soberly what fruits dishonor brings to a girl；scorn and shame； the difficulties of pregnancy； alienation from relatives； perhaps even banish… ment from the paternal home； perhaps the loss of a good position； then the pains and sorrows of child…birth； care of the child； reduction of earnings； difficulties and troubles with the child； difficulties in going about； less prospect of care through wedlock； these are of such extraordinary weight； that it is impossible to adduce so elementary a force to the sexual impulse as to enable it to veil the outlook upon this outcome of its satisfaction。
＇2＇ Archivio di Psichiatria。 1892。 Vol。 XIII。
The well…known Viennese gynaecologist； Braun； said； ‘‘If it were naturally so arranged that in every wedlock man must bear the second child； there would be no more than three children in any family。'' His intention is； that even if the woman agrees to have the third child； the man would be so frightened at the pains of the first child…birth that he never again would permit himself to bear another。 As we can hardly say that we have any reason for asserting that the sexual needs of woman are essentially greater； or that woman is better able to bear more pain than man； we are compelled to believe that there must be in woman an impulse lacking in man。 This impulse must be supposed to be so powerful that it subdues； let us say briefly； all the fear of an illegitimate or otherwise undesirable child…birth； and this is the impulse we mean by sexuality； by the maternal instinct。
It would seem as if nature； at least in isolated cases； desires to confirm this view。 According to Icard there are women who have children simply for the pleasure of suckling them； the suckling being a pleasant sensation。 If； now； nature has produced a sexual impulse purely for the sake of preserving the species； she has given fuller expression to sexuality and the maternal instinct when she has endowed it with an especial impulse in at least a few definite cases。 This impulse will explain to the criminalist a large number of phenomena； especially the accommodation of woman to man's desires； and from this along he may deduce a number of otherwise difficultly explainable psychical phenomena。
There is； of course； a series of facts which deny the existence of this impulsebut they only seem to。 Child…murder； the very frequent cruelty of mothers to their children； the opposition of very young women to bearing and bringing up children （cf。 the educated among French and American women）； and similar phenomena seem to speak against the maternal instinct。 We must not forget； however； that all impulses come to an end where the opposed impulse becomes stronger； and that under given circumstances even the most powerful impulse； that of self…preservation； may be opposed。 All actions of despair； tearing the beard； beating hands and feet together； rage at one's own health； and finally suicide may ensue。 If the mother kills her own child； this action belongs to the same series as self…damage through despair。 The more orderly and numerous actions and feelings in this direction； e。 g。； the disinclination of women toward bearing children； may be explained also by the fact that it is the consequence of definite conditions of civilization。 If we recall what unnatural； senseless； and half crazy habits with regard to nutrition； dressing； social adjustments； etc。； civilization and fashion have forced upon us； we do not need to adduce real perversity in order to understand how desire for comfort； how laziness and the scramble for wealth lead to suppression of the maternal instinct。 This may also be called degeneration。 There are still other less important circumstances that seem to speak against the maternal instinct。 These consist primarily in the fact that the sexual impulse endures to a time when the mother is no longer young enough to bear a child。 We know that the first gray hair in no sense indicates the last lover； and according to Tait； a period of powerful sex…impulsion ensues directly after the climacterium。 Now of what use； so far as child…birth is concerned； can such an impulse be？
But because natural instincts endure beyond their period of purposive efficiency； it does not follow that they are unconnected with that efficiency； we eat and drink also when the food is superfluous as nourishment。 Wonderfully as nature has adjusted the instincts and functions to definite purposes； she still has at no point drawn fixed boundaries and actually destroyed her instrument where the need for it ceased。 Just because nature is elsewhere parsimonious； she seems frequently extravagant； yet that extravagance is the cheapest means of attaining the necessary end。 Thus； when woman's passion is no longer required for the function of motherhood； its impulsion may yet be counted on for the psychological explanation of more than one criminal event。
What is important； is to count the maternal instinct as a factor in criminal situations。 If we have done so； we find explanations not only of sexual impropriety； but of the more subtle questions of the more or less pure relation between husband and wife。 What attitude the woman takes toward her husband and children； what she demands of them； what she sacrifices for them； what makes it possible for her to endure an apparently unendurable situation； what； again； undermines directly and suddenly； in spite of seemingly small value； her courage in life；these are all conditions which appear in countless processes as the distinguishing and explaining elements； and they are to be understood in the single term； ‘‘maternal instinct。'' For a long time the inexplicability of love and sexual impulse were offered as excuses； but these otherwise mighty factors had to be assigned such remarkable and self…contradictory aspects that only one confusion was added to another and called explanation。 Now suppose we try to explain them by means of the maternal instinct。
Section 69。 （e） Submerged Sexual Factors。
The criminal psychologist finds difficulties where hidden impulses are at work without seeming to have any relation to their results。 In such cases the starting…point for explanation is sought in the wrong direction。 I say starting…point； because ‘‘motive'' must be conscious； and ‘‘ground'' might be misunderstood。 We know of countless criminal cases which we face powerless because we do indeed know the criminal but are unable to explain the causal connection between him and the crime； or because； again； we do not know the criminal； and judge from the facts that we might have gotten a clew if we had understood the psychological development of the crime。 If we seek for ‘‘grounds；'' we may possibly think of so many of them as never to approach the right one； if we seek motives； we may be far misled because we are able only to bring the criminal into connection with his success； a matter which he must have had in mind from the beginning。 It is ever easy for us when motive and crime are in open connection： greed； theft； revenge； arson； jealousy； murder； etc。 In these cases the whole business of examination is an example in arithmetic； possibly difficult； but fundamental。 When； however； from the deed to its last traceable grounds； even to the attitude of the criminal； a connected series may be discovered and yet no explanation is forthcoming； then the business of interpretation has reached its end； we begin to feel about in the dark。 If we find nothing； the situation is comparatively good； but it is exceedingly bad in the numerous cases in which we believe ourselves to have sighted and pursued the proper solution。
Such a hidden source or starting…point of very numerous crimes is sex。 That it often works invisibly is due to the sense of shame。 Therefore it is more frequent in women。 The hidden sexual starting… point plays its part in the little insignificant lie of an unimportant woman witness； as well as in the poisoning of a husband for the sake of a paramour still to be won。 It sails everywhere under a false flag； nobody
