Explaining Hybristophilia: Why Some People Are Sexually Attracted To Serial Killers

News this week that notorious murderer and cult leader Charles Manson has obtained a marriage license from prison to wed a 26-year-old woman prompted confused responses from people who simply don't understand why anyone would be attracted to a killer.

But the attraction does exist, and there's a name for it: hybristophilia.

Described by sexologists as an attraction to partners who have "committed an outrage or crime, such as rape, murder or armed robbery," hybristophilia has not been thoroughly researched by scientists, but the phenomenon has been observed in the cases of many high-profile criminals, including Manson.

HuffPost Live's Nancy Redd found out more about the attraction to murderers in a Thursday conversation with criminologist Jeffrey Ian Ross and documentarian Joy Krause. Check out part of the discussion above, and click here for the full segment .

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Lives morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!