Sexual pleasures - Enhancement of sex life in Finland, 1971-1992
Abstract
The book concentrates on presenting the results of the national survey study in 1992. The central aim was to establish the changes in Finnish sex during the last 20 years (Sex life of Finns 1974, in Finnish language by Kai Sievers, Osmo Koskelainen and Kimmo Leppo). Our models were also Hans Zetterberg's ja Alfred Kinsey's sex studies in Sweden (1967) and USA (in the 1940s).
... Undoubtedly, this eased women's fears of becoming pregnant. In birth cohorts from 1950 onwards, women in Norway and other Nordic countries experienced their first sexual intercourse at an age earlier than that for men (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000;Stigum et al., 2010;Stryhn & Graugaard, 2014). For example, a recent large Danish study of 62,675 adults aged 18-89 years showed that among cohorts born after the 1950s, women's estimated median age of debut (defined as mutual masturbation, vaginal, oral, or anal sex intercourse) with an individual of the opposite sex has been approximately half a year lower than men's (Frisch et al., 2019). ...
... As previously reported, we found gender differences in debut ages (Pedersen & Samuelsen, 2003;Sundet et al., 1992;Teitler, 2002;Traeen & Samuelsen, 2007;Traeen et al., 2016), with women reporting earlier sexual intercourse debuts than men across all six birth cohorts. Since the beginning of the 1970s, women in Nordic countries had their first sexual intercourse at an earlier age as compared to men (Bozon & Kontula, 1998;Frisch et al., 2019;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). This was because the social acceptance of adolescent and female sexuality was significantly greater in Nordic countries than in most Western cultures (Lewin, 1991;Traeen, 1993). ...
... According to a previous study on whether respondents and non-respondents in a Norwegian sexual behavior study showed different patterns of sexual behavior, it is likely that nonresponse is not associated with differences in sexual behavior (Stigum, 1997). Other Nordic studies concluded that nonresponse is fairly random with respect to sexual behavior (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). We cannot rule out that the nonrespondents have different behavioral patterns from the respondents, but we believe that non-participation is random rather than systematic. ...
This study aims to estimate six different sexual debut ages in heterosexual Norwegians in six birth cohorts of the general population in Norway. The results are based on a 2020 national web panel survey of 18–89-year-olds in Norway (n = 4160). There was a general decline in the median debut age from those aged 70+ to those 18–29 (born 1991–2002). Oral sex with a female partner has become increasingly common among men at an earlier age across generations. The same pattern was found in women as well with regard to oral sex with a male partner and receptive anal sex. There was a slight increase in median debut age in 18–29-year-olds for receptive vaginal sex (born 1991–2002). The median debut age for vaginal sex was fairly stable for generations of men and women born after 1950.
... However, as emphasized by Blow and Hartnett (2005b), as most studies are crosssectional, there is no way to decide if it is a development effect or a cohort effect. Even so, Kontula and Haavio-Mannila (1995) concluded that much of the sexual behavior change in Finland is a generational phenomenon. Social changes across generations may produce different attitudes toward sex and sexuality and norms in various age groups. ...
... For both men and women, the prevalence of non-consensual extradyadic sexual experience increased statistically significantly with the increasing age group. This finding has also been reported in other studies (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). More of the older participants reported such experience, as they have had the time to accumulate this experience. ...
... Kurdek (1991b) found that a higher percentage of samesex couples than mixed-sex couples had extradyadic sexual partners. As suggested by Kontula and Haavio-Mannila (1995), the gay subculture may not share the heterosexual love script and does not regard non-monogamy as infidelity. Within such a permissive subculture, pleasure theory (Abramson & Pinkerton, 2002), may provide another explanation for the observed differences in consensual non-monogamy, and the search for sexual pleasure is seen as the main drive for seeking sex with extradyadic partners (Matsick et al., 2021). ...
The paper sets out to study Norwegians’ experiences of non-monogamy. Data were collected by questionnaires in a web-sample of 4160 Norwegians (18–89 years). 26.3% of men and 17.8% of women reported that they ever had non-consensual non-monogamy. Consensual non-monogamy was reported by 3%. Compared to participants with no or non-consensual experience, consensual non-monogamy was highly related to relationship intimacy and positive sexual attitudes toward sex and sexuality. At the most recent extradyadic event, 21.5% of heterosexual men and 47.1% of gay/bisexual men reported condom use, which implies a risk for sexually transmitted diseases.
... The aim of this article is to report some cross-national results of the before mentioned NEM surveys in relation to bi-and homosexuality in the studied countries. These results will be compared with some similar European surveys (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al, 1998;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003) and with the survey in the U.S. ( Laumann et al, 1994). In the U.S. the lack of data on the prevalence of men who have sex with other men was a major motivation for the original federally funded project. ...
... An exercise of the differences in sexual initiation between Western (Nordic) and Eastern (two geographical areas of the former Soviet Union) European countries has been conducted in a study "FINSEX study and the related sex surveys in the Baltic sea area" that has been authored by Osmo Kontula and Elina Haavio-Mannila (Kontula & Haavio- Mannila, 1995;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003). The study covers six national sex surveys and one local sex survey (St. ...
... In the U.S. approval of homosexuality increased in the 1990s (Loftus, 2001) after a long period of stagnation in the attitudes. In Finland there was also a major increase in tolerant attitudes towards homosexuals from the 1970s to the 1990s (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995). ...
The aim of this article is to report some cross-national results of the NEM surveys in relation to bi- and homosexuality in the studied countries. These results will be compared with some similar European surveys (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995; Lewin et al, 1998; Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003) and with the survey in the U.S. (Laumann et al, 1994). In the U.S. the lack of data on the prevalence of men who have sex with other men was a major motivation for the original federally funded project. The approach applied here includes discussion on some methodological aspects of the national sex surveys, considering the ways the surveys have measured sexual orientationand bi- and homosexual sexual activities. In the final discussion some proposals for theimprovement of the validity of prevalence estimates will be presented.
... Women's right to be the initiators of sexual interactions was supported by 94% of Finnish men and 90% of women already in 1992 (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995). This support for female sexual autonomy has only increased since then (Kontula, 2009). ...
... Two nationally representative surveys of sexual behavior and sexual attitudes carried out in 1971 and 1992, showed that people's attitudes have become more liberal; sexual behavior more equal; women sexually more active; and women's sexual satisfaction in particular had increased during the 20 years between these two surveys. One of the main causes of this positive change (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Kontula & Kosonen, 1996) is estimated to have been the increasingly copious, open, and versatile treatment of sexuality in various media sources. ...
... More detailed information on the sampling, interviewing and questionnaires is available in Kontula & Haavio-Mannila (1995), Haavio-Mannila, Kontula & Kuusi (2001), Haavio-Mannila and Kontula (2003), and Kontula (2009). ...
... Women's right to be the initiators of sexual interactions was supported by 94% of Finnish men and 90% of women already in 1992 (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995). This support for female sexual autonomy has only increased since then (Kontula, 2009). ...
... Two nationally representative surveys of sexual behavior and sexual attitudes carried out in 1971 and 1992, showed that people's attitudes have become more liberal; sexual behavior more equal; women sexually more active; and women's sexual satisfaction in particular had increased during the 20 years between these two surveys. One of the main causes of this positive change (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Kontula & Kosonen, 1996) is estimated to have been the increasingly copious, open, and versatile treatment of sexuality in various media sources. ...
... More detailed information on the sampling, interviewing and questionnaires is available in Kontula & Haavio-Mannila (1995), Haavio-Mannila, Kontula & Kuusi (2001), Haavio-Mannila and Kontula (2003), and Kontula (2009). ...
Background:
The pursuit of sexual pleasure is a key motivating factor in sexual activity. Many things can stand in the way of sexual orgasms and enjoyment, particularly among women. These are essential issues of sexual well-being and gender equality.
Objective:
This study presents long-term trends and determinants of female orgasms in Finland. The aim is to analyze the roles of factors such as the personal importance of orgasms, sexual desire, masturbation, clitoral and vaginal stimulation, sexual self-esteem, communication with partner, and partner's sexual techniques.
Design:
In Finland, five national sex surveys that are based on random samples from the central population register have been conducted. They are representative of the total population within the age range of 18-54 years in 1971 (N=2,152), 18-74 years in 1992 (N=2,250), 18-81 years in 1999 (N=1,496), 18-74 years in 2007 (N=2,590), and 18-79 years in 2015 (N=2,150). Another dataset of 2,049 women in the age group of 18-70 years was collected in 2015 via a national Internet panel.
Results:
Contrary to expectations, women did not have orgasms that are more frequent by increasing their experience and practice of masturbation, or by experimenting with different partners in their lifetime. The keys to their more frequent orgasms lay in mental and relationship factors. These factors and capacities included orgasm importance, sexual desire, sexual self-esteem, and openness of sexual communication with partners. Women valued their partner's orgasm more than their own. In addition, positive determinants were the ability to concentrate, mutual sexual initiations, and partner's good sexual techniques. A relationship that felt good and worked well emotionally, and where sex was approached openly and appreciatively, promoted orgasms.
Conclusion:
The findings indicate that women differ greatly from one another in terms of their tendency and capacity to experience orgasms. The improvements in gender equality and sexual education since the 1970s have not helped women to become more orgasmic. Neither has the major increase in masturbation habits (among women in general). One challenge for future studies is to understand why women value their partner's orgasms more than their own.
... Norway's sexual culture is typically characterized by a tendency towards equality among age groups and between genders (Helmius 1990;Kontula and Haavio-Mannila 1995;Haavio-Mannila and Kontula 2003;Lewin and Helmius 1983;Lewin et al. 2000;Traeen 1993). Female, adolescent and homosexual sexuality are socioculturally more accepted, at least in parts of Norway, than in the majority of other Western countries. ...
... Accordingly, sexuality in Norwegian culture is often regarded as representing 'liberated' culture. Since the 1960s, women in Norway and other Nordic countries were experiencing their first sexual intercourse at an earlier age than men (Kontula and Haavio-Mannila 1995;Lewin et al. 2000, Stigum et al. 2010, and this may be partly attributed to Norway's long-held ideological traditions favoring equality between individuals and social groups. In 2009, the age of first heterosexual intercourse, assumed to be vaginal penetration, was estimated at 17.0 years among girls and 17.9 years among boys (Traeen et al. 2011). ...
... About 95 % of various populations report their sexual orientation as heterosexual. The remaining 5 % of the population report that their sexual orientation is lesbian, gay, bisexual or 'other' (Kontula and Haavio-Mannila 1995;Månsson 1997;Traeen et al. , 2003Wellings et al. 1994). Even though there may be significant differences between these various subgroups, they are few in numbers and it is reasonable in statistical analysis to treat them as one common category of respondents. ...
This study estimates sexual debut ages in young heterosexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual men and women in Norway. A questionnaire survey was completed online by 27.2 % of a representative national web sample of 2090 persons aged 18–29 years. Three self-selected samples of 924 respondents completed an extended version of the survey online. Lesbian and bisexual women reported earlier experience of orgasm through masturbation than heterosexual women (median 13.1 vs. 15.2 years), and heterosexual men (median 13.5) reported earlier debut than heterosexual women. There was a statistically significant difference between heterosexual and lesbian and bisexual women’s age at the first experience of receptive vaginal sex (median 16.8 vs. 15.4 years). As regards experience of insertive vaginal sex, a significantly higher percentage of heterosexual men than women, and of heterosexual and lesbian and bisexual women, reported experience. It was more common among lesbian and bisexual women than heterosexual women to have had oral sex with another woman, but in neither group did the cumulative percent reach 50 % by the age of 29 years and the median could not be estimated. Gay and bisexual men reported earlier receptive anal sex debut than heterosexual men. With regard to insertive anal sex, gay and bisexual men accumulated experience earlier than heterosexual men, and lesbian and bisexual women acquired this experience earlier than heterosexual women. Compared to heterosexuals, LGB persons of both genders engage in more varied sexual activities. Lesbian and gay persons have same-sex experiences at an earlier age than bisexuals.
... A number of studies have been conducted on sexual satisfaction using both national and international samples (Dunn, Croft & Hackett, 2000;Haavio-Manila & Kontula, 1994, 1997Kleinseck, 1996;Laumann et al., 1994;Laumann et al, 2006;Ojanlatva et al., 2003;Páez et al., 2003;Parish et al, 2007;Valdés, Benavente & Gysling, 1999;Ventegodt, 1998;Yela, 2000). In this current study, and in line with Manila & Kontula"s (1997) contention, sexual satisfaction is seen as having a dual physical and an affective/emotional component. ...
... Sexual satisfaction is regarded as a barometer for the quality of partner relationship (Kleinseck, 1996;Valdés, Benavente & Gysling, 1999). Satisfaction with sex is usually related to satisfaction with life, general wellbeing and quality of life (Arrington, Cofrancesco, & Wu, 2004;Edwards & Booth, 1994;Haavio-Manila & Kontula, 1994;Headey, 1981;Laumann et al, 1994;Palmore, 1981;Schulz, 2000;Ventegodt, 1995;1998). Moreover, sexual satisfaction, overall satisfaction with life and marital satisfaction were inextricably associated in at least three studies (Laumann et al., 1994;Laumann et al, 2006;Litzinger & Coop Gordon, 2005). ...
... Fourth, recent studies in various countries highlight not only the importance of the physical component of sexual satisfaction (for example, the frequency of intercourse and orgasm), but also affective and relational components (Haavio-Manila & Kontula, 1994, 1997Laumann et al, 1994), such as type and stability of relationship, love, and communication with the partner (Davies, Katz & Jackson, 1999;DeLamater, 1991;Haavio-Manila & Kontula, 1994, 1997Laumann et al., 1994;Waite & Joyner, 2001a;Yela, 2000). For example, married people usually report higher satisfaction with life, particularly in comparison to those divorced and separated (Diener, Oishi & Lucas, 2003). ...
... In the Nordic region, same-sex sexual practice is socially more accepted than in the majority of other Western countries (Anderssen & Malterud, 2013;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). The homosexual practice was decriminalized in 1972, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation banned in 1981, and from 2009 marriage laws have been gender neutral. ...
... According to Søgaard et al. (2004), a low response rate does not necessarily imply a selection bias. Furthermore, other Nordic surveys also suggest that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behavior (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000;Stigum, 1997). The drop in the response rate to previous sexual behavior surveys suggests that self-administered postal questionnaires may be outdated as the mode of data collection. ...
Objective: The study explores the difference between Women Who Have Sex Exclusively with Men (WSEM), Women Who Have Sex Exclusively with Women (WSEW), and Women Who Have Sex with Women and Men (WSWM).
Method: The data were obtained from a survey of a probability-based web sample of 1967 Norwegian women.
Results: Most WSWM identified themselves as heterosexuals (76.3%), and three out of 10 used a condom when having sex with a new partner. The highest number of sex partners during the last year was reported by WSWM. More WSEW than the other categories reported premature orgasm.
Conclusions: WSWM should be targeted in health campaigns.
... Furthermore, since 2009 marriage laws have been gender neutral. Same gender sexual practice is socially more accepted in Norway and the other Nordic countries than in the majority of other Western countries (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). Even though Norwegians generally report positive attitudes toward homosexuality (Anderssen & Malterud, 2013), previous studies indicate that minority stress continues to be an issue for sexual minority groups (Prell & Traeen, 2018). ...
... Stigum (1997) concluded that respondents and non-respondents in the 1992 Norwegian sexual behavior study did not differ in their patterns of sexual behavior. Other Nordic surveys also suggest that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behavior (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). ...
Objective: This study investigates how men who have sex exclusively with women (MSEW) differ from men who have sex exclusively with men (MSEM), and men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) on selected variables.
Methods: A probability-based web sample of 2,181 men was recruited.
Results: Most MSEM considered their sexual identity as gay, and most MSMW as heterosexual. The MSEM were the most frequent condom users, while MSMW were the least frequent users and had the highest number of sexual partners. The MSEM and MSMW had a lower likelihood of premature ejaculation than MSEW.
Conclusions: MSMW should be targeted in health campaigns.
... Furthermore, from 2009 marriage laws have been gender neutral. Same gender sexual practice is socially more accepted in Norway and the other Nordic countries than in the majority of other Western countries (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Lewin et al., 2000). Even though Norwegians generally report positive attitudes towards homosexuality (Anderssen & Malterud, 2013), previous studies indicate that minority stress continues to be an issue for sexual minority groups (Prell & Traeen, 2018). ...
... Stigum (1997) concluded that respondents and non-respondents in the 1992 Norwegian sexual behavior study did not differ in their patterns of sexual behavior. Other Nordic surveys also suggest that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behavior (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003). ...
This study investigates how men who have sex exclusively with women (MSEW) differ from men who have sex exclusively with men (MSEM), and men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) on selected variables. A probability-based web sample of 2,181 men was recruited. Most MSEM considered their sexual identity as gay, and most MSMW as heterosexual. The MSEM were the most frequent condom users, while MSMW were the least frequent users and had the highest number of sexual partners. The MSEM and MSMW had lower likelihood of premature ejaculation than MSEW. MSMW should be targeted in health campaigns.
... It must be mentioned that the oldest participants in this study (≥70 years old) were teenagers prior to the so-called sexual revolution, whereas participants less than 70 years old were teenagers during or after this period. This is likely to have influenced their attitudes and behavior (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Traeen & Stigum, 1998). ...
... In this sex survey there was no recording of why people did not want to participate, and the extent to which any systematic bias was introduced by the low participation rate is unclear. Other Nordic sex surveys have indicated that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behavior (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000;Stigum, 1997). Furthermore, a low response rate does not necessarily imply a selection bias (Søgaard et al., 2004). ...
The purpose of this study was to examine Norwegians' reports of seven varied sexual acts. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of a probability-based web sample of 2,181 men and 1,967 women aged 18-89 years. Among seven acts of sexual variety, the most common sexual experiences were trying to watch pornography with a partner, engaging in sex in unusual places, and using sex toys. Older age was negatively associated with all sexual behaviors. Regarding more unorthodox acts of sexual variety, heterosexual men's sexual preferences involved having and desiring group sex, whereas heterosexual women's sexual experiences and desires involved having sex in unusual places. Lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) individuals generally showed greater curiosity or experience of having group sex and engaging in BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism) activities than heterosexual adults. However, while LGB men had a high preference for group sex activities, LGB women had more positive attitudes toward BDSM activity. Individuals appear to accumulate more acts of sexual variety over time, thus making the incorporation of sexual variety a function of age. This study supports the idea that sexual variety has expanded among those born from 1960 onwards.
... Two nationally representative surveys of the sexual behavior and sexual attitudes in 1971 and 1992 showed that people's attitudes had become more liberal, sexual behavior more equal, women sexually more active, and that especially women's sexual satisfaction had increased during the 20 years between these two surveys. The increasingly more copious, open, and versatile treatment of sexuality in the different media was estimated to have been one of the causes of this positive change ( Kontula and Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Kontula and Kosonen, 1996). Public discourse defines acceptable forms of sexuality and delivers disapproval for 'unacceptable' forms, as well as for deeds that have been deemed illegal. ...
... The 1999 and 2007 findings (mailed surveys) provide a slight underestimation of men above the age of 55 (sexual initiation somewhat later, and sexually a bit more monogamous in their life time), compared with the entire age group of the respondents. More detailed information on the sampling, interviewing, and questionnaires is available in Kontula and Haavio-Mannila (1995), Haavio Mannila et al. (2001), Haavio-Mannila and Kontula (2003), and Kontula (2009). ...
In international comparison, Finland is a country where social well-being and gender equality are exemplarily progressed. One could assume that this had caused positive impact also on sexual well-being. This assumption was tested by utilizing nationally representative sex surveys that have been conducted in Finland during several decades. The results are challenging after there was found increasing lack of female sexual desire, decreasing frequency of sexual intercourse, and unwanted trends in female orgasms. Some explanations for these unexpected results were given.
... 21 Low desire dysfunction was reported in 39% in a large-scale investigation of American women 18 to 102 years old 22 and in 35% of Finnish women 18 to 74 years old. 2 Shifren et al 22 found desire dysfunction to be more prevalent in the 45-to 64-year-old cohorts. In this study, 15% to 25% of women younger than 55 years had low desire, but the prevalence increased to approximately 50% in women 55 to 74 years. ...
... A somewhat higher prevalence of orgasmic dysfunction (30%) was reported from Finland. 2 In other studies, 16,18,19,26,27,32 the prevalence of orgasmic dysfunction was much lower (11%e16%), whereas that of mild orgasmic dysfunction was remarkably high (approximately 60%) in two Nordic countries, where identical methodology was used. Thus, in these two countries, more than 80% of all sexually active women 18 to 74 years old reported some degree of orgasmic dysfunction. ...
Introduction
The incidence and prevalence of various sexual dysfunctions in women and men are important to understand to designate priorities for epidemiologic and clinical research.
Aim
This manuscript was designed to conduct a review of the literature to determine the incidence and prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women and men.
Methods
Members of Committee 1 of the Fourth International Consultation on Sexual Medicine (2015) searched and reviewed epidemiologic literature on the incidence and prevalence of sexual dysfunctions. Key older studies and most studies published after 2009 were included in the text of this article.
Main Outcome Measures
The outcome measures were the reports in the various studies of the incidence and prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women and men.
Results
There are more studies on incidence and prevalence for men than for women and many more studies on prevalence than incidence for women and men. The data indicate that the most frequent sexual dysfunctions for women are desire and arousal dysfunctions. In addition, there is a large proportion of women who experience multiple sexual dysfunctions. For men, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction are the most common sexual dysfunctions, with less comorbidity across sexual dysfunctions for men compared with women.
Conclusion
These data need to be treated with caution, because there is a high level of variability across studies caused by methodologic differences in the instruments used to assess presence of sexual dysfunction, ages of samples, nature of samples, methodology used to gather the data, and cultural differences. Future research needs to use well-validated tools to gather data and ensure that the data collection strategy is clearly described.
... According to the same study, 24.6% of heterosexual men and 16.3% of heterosexual women had been in a consensually non-monogamous relationship at some point in their lives. These group differences might be attributable to the fact that, because LGBTQ+ persons are less likely to endorse heteronormative scripts, they are more inclined to consider and explore alternative scripts and relationship configurations [18]. As for bisexual individuals more specifically, Me Lean posits that their greater likelihood of engaging in consensual nonmonogamy might be due to the possibility that it allows for the pursuit of sexual and romantic experiences with partners of different genders [2]. ...
Research comparing monogamous and non-monogamous relationships on well-being indicators across diverse populations have yielded inconsistent findings. The present study investigates sociodemographic characteristics, as well as personal and relational outcomes, across different relationship configurations. Data were drawn from an online community-based sample of 1,528 LGBTQ+ persons aged 18 years and older in Quebec, Canada. A latent class analysis was performed based on legal relationship status, relationship agreement, cohabitation status, and the seeking of extradyadic sexual and romantic partners on the internet. Class differences on sociodemographic characteristics and well-being and relationship quality indicators were examined. A five-class solution best fit the data, highlighting five distinct relationship configurations: Formalized monogamy (59%), Free monogamy (20%), Formalized open relationship (11%), Monogamous considering alternatives (7%) and Free consensual non-monogamies (3%). Cisgender women were more likely to engage in monogamous relationships than cisgender men, who were overrepresented in open relationships. Lower levels of perceived partner support were observed in both free monogamous and consensually non-monogamous relationships, the latter of which also showed lower levels of well-being. Consensual non-monogamy researchers exploring relationship outcomes should examine relationship facets that go beyond relationship structure or agreement. Variations in monogamies and non-monogamies, both consensual and non-consensual, may be present within each broad relationship configuration, as reflected in different personal and relational needs, which can then translate to better or poorer outcomes.
... In the initial stages of a heterosexual relationship, there are also high levels of convergence and reciprocity between the partners. As the relationship continues, the sexual interest of and the initiative taken by the female partner in particular tend to decrease markedly (Kontula and Haavio-Mannila 1995). There are significant differences in sexual activity levels depending on the sexual identities of the couples. ...
... In the current study, we did not record why people did not want to participate, and the extent to which a systematic bias was introduced by the low participation rate is unclear. Other Nordic sex surveys have concluded that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behavior (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000;Stigum, 1997). It should also be noted that a low response rate does not necessarily imply a selection bias (Søgaard et al., 2004). ...
This article aims to determine the prevalence of sending nude pictures/videos in the Norwegian population and investigates gender differences regarding consensual, unsolicited, and coerced experiences. Data were obtained from a probability-based web survey of 2181 men and 1967 women between 18 and 89 years old. The majority of participants expressed relatively accepting attitudes toward sending nude pictures/videos, and men expressed more positive attitudes than women. Twenty-nine percent of participants reported having lifetime experience with sending nude pictures/videos, and sending nude pictures/videos was more common in younger individuals than older individuals. More women than men claimed that they sent their most recent nude picture to a committed partner, and twice as many men than women had sent a nude picture to a stranger or a person they only had contact with on the Internet. In addition, more than twice as many women than men reported consensual sending nude pictures/videos, and more men than women sent unsolicited pictures/videos. Consensual sending nude pictures/videos was characterized by the presence of men and women within committed relationships. In Norway, sending nude pictures/videos seems to be a way of being sexual in the context of committed relationships.
... However, in addition to sexual orientation differences, there may also be a gender difference in this respect. It has been suggested that the gay subculture is more permissive than the heterosexual (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995), and within this subculture the search for sexual pleasure is seen as the main drive for seeking varied sexual practices, also with more or less casual partners (Abramson & Pinkerton, 2002;Matsick et al., 2021). ...
The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which Norwegians are satisfied with their singlehood, and to determine the association between being single and sexual activity. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of a representative web sample of 1076 unpartnered individuals (568 women, 508 men) aged 18–89 years. A total of 45.2% of the single respondents reported being satisfied with being single, while 33.9% reported being unsatisfied. There was no difference between the age groups in men, but more women aged 45 years or older than women under the age of 45 were satisfied with being single. A higher percentage of gay, bisexual, and transmen than heterosexual men was satisfied with being single. More women who had not been sexually active with a partner in the past year were satisfied with being single than were women who had been sexually active. The men who were most satisfied with being single were those who had masturbated and/or had sexual intercourse, and least satisfied were those with no sexual activity, or exclusively masturbation activity. The results are discussed in terms of biological, psychological, and social positions.
... The participants were asked how often they have sexual intercourse with their partner on average, before and after the WFH policy was enacted in Indonesia. The average SIF per week category was adapted from a study by Kontula and Haavio-Mannila (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995). It was divided into several groups: (0) no sexual intercourse at all, (1) once per month, (2) 2-3 times per month, (3) once per week, (4) 2-3 times per week, (5) 3-4 times per week, (6) 5-6 times per week, (7) once per day or more. ...
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of work from home (WFH) during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and reproductive health of women in Indonesia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the impact of WFH policy on said health aspects in Indonesia.
Methods: We conducted an observational study with a cross-sectional approach using an online survey among premenopausal married women in Indonesia. The survey included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for psychological distress, average sexual intercourse frequency (SIF) per week, contraception use, change of menstrual pattern, and desire for having children. To analyze the effect of WFH, the participants were divided into groups based on their WFH compliance: (1) Both couples (her and her spouse) work from home, (2) Only the wife works from home, (3) Only the husband works from home, and (4) Neither works from home.
Results: 348 women were included in this study. Psychological distress occurred in 48.0% (n = 167) participants. No significant difference was found between the WFH groups (χ²[3, N = 348] = 2.077, p = .56)). The average weekly SIF was found to be significantly fewer during WFH (T = 5014, z = −5.598, p < .001). However, only 22.7% (n = 79) participants reported the use of contraception and 52.9% (n = 196) participants still wanted to have children. Change of menstrual pattern occurred in 31.6% (n = 110) participants and were significantly correlated to psychological distress (rs= .126, p = .018).
Conclusions: WFH does not aggravate the effect of the pandemic on women's mental and reproductive health in Indonesia. A significant number of them still desire to have children and contraceptive prevalence is low.
... However, a previous supplementary study-determining whether respondents and non-respondents in the Norwegian sexual behaviour study showed different patterns of sexual behaviour-concluded that non-response was not associated with differences in sexual behaviour (Stigum, 1997). Other Nordic studies also indicate that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behaviour (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin et al., 2000). Although it cannot be ruled out that the non-respondents have different patterns of contraceptive behaviour from the respondents, we believe that non-participation is random rather than systematic. ...
Aim: This study describes the use of contraception and protection for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in six different birth cohorts of the general population in Norway.
Methods: The results are based on a 2020 national web panel survey among 18–89 year-olds in Norway (n = 4,160).
Results: For respondents born within 1931–1950 versus those born within 1990–2002, there was a significant increase in the use of protection against unwanted pregnancy and STIs during sexual intercourse, and a significant drop in the proportion of those who did not use any protection at all. More women today (than in previous decades) are using hormonal contraception. The main reason for not using condoms during intercourse was both parties felt safe that they were healthy, especially those born within 1990–2002.
Conclusion: To prevent unwanted pregnancy and STIs, it is beneficial to continue to increase the availability of free or subsidized hormonal contraception, including emergency contraception, and free condoms in public arenas that people frequent and where they meet their partners.
... If in some Western and Northern European countries there is a long tradition of research in this field (Bozon, 2003;Wellings et al., 2006) and in some others, this topic emerged in the early 1990s in response to the alarming spread of HIV, for many others, such as Southern and Eastern European countries, only fragmented studies (i.e. covering a limited time frame, specific issues, or particular groups of people) are available (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995). Moreover, in several countries, sexuality is considered a too sensitive topic, for religious or cultural reasons, to be investigated by means of surveys or interviews (for example, in Muslim or Far Eastern countries). ...
... An exercise of the differences in sexual initiation between Western (Nordic) and Eastern (two geographical areas of the former Soviet Union) European countries has been conducted in the study "FINSEX study and the related sex surveys in the Baltic Sea Area" authored by Osmo Kontula and Elina Haavio-Mannila (Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2001;Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003). The study covers six national sex surveys and one local sex survey (St. ...
Sexual and reproductive behavior, and outcomes of that behavior, are treated in thisarticle in the framework of sexual and reproductive health. The focus is on teenagers.European trends in sexual behavior and in fertility/births from the 1980s to the late1990s are presented.The transition in sexual initiation started first in the Nordic countries, then in manyWestern European and Central European countries and finally, one generation later,in Southern and Eastern Europe. The age of women at first sexual intercoursedecreased several years almost everywhere in Europe. Due to improvements in sexeducation and in the use of contraceptives, teenage birth rates have been declining,at the same time, around Europe.There is a serious need for sexual health prevention campaigns and related servicesin Europe. Work for improvement of sexual and reproductive health and rights canbe successful only in a society where there is openness and social tolerance onsexual issues.
... Sexual satisfaction: Consistent with a previous research, male OCD patients have reported low sexual dissatisfaction in this study. It might be induced by the negative impact of OCD on relationship building and sexuality [33]. Moreover, we found a signifi cant correlation between the total score and the score of washing subscale in OCI-R and sexual satisfaction subscale in IIEF (P<0.05). ...
... Sexual satisfaction: Consistent with a previous research, male OCD patients have reported low sexual dissatisfaction in this study. It might be induced by the negative impact of OCD on relationship building and sexuality [33]. Moreover, we found a signifi cant correlation between the total score and the score of washing subscale in OCI-R and sexual satisfaction subscale in IIEF (P<0.05). ...
... Sex surveys in France, as well as in other countries, had been carried out before 1989 (Kontula and Haavio-Mannila, 1995). Conducted in 1991, the ACSF survey was strongly influenced by the AIDS epidemic and "in this context of unsafe sex the factors that help or hinder prevention lay at the heart of the investigation" (Bozon and Leridon, 1996: 10). ...
This study deals with sexual ethics’ relationship with sociological
studies on sexuality. The social setting is seen as a component of
every ethical scrutiny, even if the latter deals with a case of failure or
deficiency in individual moral choice. Conscious decisions and
actions, which are tacitly determined by what have preceded
individual choice, are no longer the only important object of ethical
argumentation. Since choice is circumscribed by objective
determinants, the latter seems to be a focal point, if not an
indispensable focal point, of every ethical analysis. The present study
also offers a brief exploration of the social sciences’ examination of
sexuality, and includes an example of when sociology encounters
moral problems. An approach to formulating sexual-ethical
propositions is shown as social scientists and ethicists take into
account the socio-cultural conditions of sexual attitude and behavior.
... Most of the studies involving younger men and conducting age-stratified analyses have been performed in Europe, where the prevalence of ED in men younger than 40 years ranges between 1% to 10% (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). The prevalence reported in these studies is highly variable due to different methodologies used in defining ED, population accrual, acquisition of data and choice of tools for investigating erectile function. ...
Epidemiological studies consistently show that prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) increases with ageing. Nonetheless, complaints of ED even in younger men are becoming more and more frequent. Healthcare professionals working in Sexual Medicine but even those operating in different clinical contexts might be adequately prepared to answer this increasing requirement. ED in younger men is likely to be overlooked and dismissed without performing any medical assessment, even the most basic ones, such as collection of medical history and physical exam. This is due to the widespread assumption that ED in younger individuals is a self-limiting condition, which does not deserve any clinical evaluation or therapy and can be managed only with patient reassurance. However, evidence shows that, in younger subjects, organic, psychological and relational conditions can contribute to the pathogenesis of ED and all these conditions might be evaluated and treated, whenever necessary. Among the organic conditions contributing to the onset of ED, metabolic and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors are surprisingly of particular relevance in this age group. In fact, in younger men with ED, even more than in older ones, recognizing CV risk factors or conditions suggestive of cardio-metabolic derangements can help identifying men who, although at low absolute risk due to young age, carry a high relative risk for development of CV events. In this view, the assessment of a possible organic component of ED even in younger individuals acquires a pivotal importance, because it offers the unique opportunity to unearth the presence of CV risk factors, thus allowing effective and high quality preventive interventions.
... 18 In a 5-year study following Finnish women aged 18 to 74 years, a decrease in sexual desire was identified in 45% of women: 20% among those younger than 25 years and 70% to 80% among those aged 55 to 74 years. 19 Australian and Swedish studies have reported similar findings. It is fair to say that most FSD increases with age. ...
Female sexual dysfunction can drastically diminish quality of life for many women. It is estimated that in the United States 40% of women have sexual complaints. These conditions are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. Terminology and classification systems of female sexual dysfunction can be confusing and complicated, which hampers the process of clinical diagnosis, making accurate diagnosis difficult. There are few treatment options available for female sexual dysfunctions, however, some interventions may be of benefit and are described. Additional treatments are in development. The development of clear clinical categories and diagnostic guidelines for female sexual dysfunction are of utmost importance and can be of great benefit for clinical and public health uses and disease-related research.
... To what extent the systematic bias was introduced by the low participation rate is unclear. However, findings from other Nordic surveys have suggested that non-response is fairly random with respect to sexual behaviour (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 2003;Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 1995;Lewin, Fugl-Meyer, Helmius, & Lalos, 2000;Stigum, 1997). Due to the low response rate, results should be interpreted with some degree of caution, and follow up studies are warranted, to confirm the findings of this study it should be noted, that a drop in response rate seems to be a trend in questionnaire surveys also on topics other than sexuality (Hellevik, 1999). ...
Objective: To study the relationship between age, gender, body mass index (BMI), body image, and perceived intimacy with partner and sexual satisfaction in young Norwegian adults. Methods: A questionnaire survey was completed online by 27.2% (n = 568) of a representative national web sample of 2,090 persons aged 18–29 years. Results: Women were more dissatisfied with their body than men and BMI increased with age. A negative body image correlated with BMI, particularly among women. There was no gender difference in reported sexual satisfaction and perceived intimacy with partner. The most important direct path leading to increased sexual satisfaction was from perceived intimacy with partner, followed by body image and age. By influencing body image, BMI, and gender influenced sexual satisfaction indirectly. Being male increased the likelihood of having a positive body image, which in turn increased the likelihood of reporting being sexually satisfied. Additionally, a lower BMI increased the likelihood of being satisfied with one's body, which in turn increased sexual satisfaction. Conclusion: Body image is clearly related to sexual satisfaction, particularly in women. However, body image is not associated with the perception of intimacy with one's partner, which is the most important factor for feeling sexually satisfied.
... Sexual dysfunction in women is a common problem with rates up to 50% as self-reported using questionnaires among women in community studies [18][19][20]. In the USA, it has been observed that 43% of women have sexual dysfunction of one type or another with 10% expressing distress sufficient to be diagnosed with sexual function disorder. ...
Intravaginal DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone), the exclusive precursor of androgens and estrogens in postmenopausal women, has previously been shown to improve all the domains of sexual function by a strictly local action in the vagina. The well recognized female sexual function index (FSFI) questionnaire was used in the present study.
The long-term effect of 52-week treatment with daily intravaginal 0.50% (6.5 mg) DHEA was evaluated on the various domains of female sexual function using the FSFI questionnaire at baseline, Week 26 and Week 52.
One hundred and fifty-four postmenopausal women with at least one mild to severe symptom of vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) and who have completed the FSFI questionnaire at baseline and at least one post-baseline timepoint were included in the analysis.
The FSFI domains desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain were increased by 28%, 49%, 115%, 51%, 41% and 108%, respectively (p
... Sexual dysfunction is a common problem with rates of up to 50% self-reported among women in community studies [6][7][8]. In the United States, it has been observed that 43% of women have sexual dysfunction of one type or another. ...
IntroductionPrevious data have shown that intravaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA, prasterone) improved all the domains of sexual function, an effect most likely related to the local formation of androgens from DHEA. AimsTo confirm in a placebo-controlled, prospective, double-blind and randomized study the benefits of daily intravaginal DHEA for 12 weeks on sexual function using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Methods
Placebo was administered daily to 157 women while 325 women received 0.50% (6.5mg) DHEA daily for 12 weeks. All women were postmenopausal meeting the criteria of vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), namely moderate to severe dyspareunia as their most bothersome symptom of VVA in addition to having 5% of vaginal superficial cells and vaginal pH>5.0. The FSFI questionnaire was filled at baseline (screening and day 1), 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Comparison between DHEA and placebo of the changes from baseline to 12 weeks was made using the analysis of covariance test, with treatment group as the main factor and baseline value as the covariate. Main Outcome MeasuresThe six domains and total score of the FSFI questionnaire were evaluated. ResultsThe FSFI domain desire increased over placebo by 0.24 unit (+49.0%, P=0.0105), arousal by 0.42 unit (+56.8%, P=0.0022), lubrication by 0.57 unit (+36.1%, P=0.0005), orgasm by 0.32 unit (+33.0%, P=0.047), satisfaction by 0.44 unit (+48.3%, P=0.0012), and pain at sexual activity by 0.62 unit (+39.2%, P=0.001). The total FSFI score, on the other hand, has shown a superiority of 2.59 units in the DHEA group over placebo or a 41.3% greater change than placebo (P=0.0006 over placebo). Conclusion
The present data show that all the six domains of the FSFI are improved over placebo (from P=0.047 to 0.0005), thus confirming the previously observed benefits of intravaginal DHEA on female sexual dysfunction by an action exerted exclusively at the level of the vagina, in the absence of biologically significant changes of serum steroids levels. Fernand Labrie, Leonard Derogatis, David F. Archer, William Koltun, Andree Vachon, Douglas Young, Louise Frenette, David Portman, Marlene Montesino, Isabelle Cote, Julie Parent, Lyne Lavoie, Adam Beauregard, Celine Martel, Mario Vaillancourt, John Balser, Erick Moyneur, and Members of the VVA Prasterone Research Group. Effect of Intravaginal Prasterone on Sexual Dysfunction in Postmenopausal Women with Vulvovaginal Atrophy. J Sex Med 2015;12:2401-2412.
The historical background of European national sex surveys dates back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when the first such surveys were conducted in Europe. That was an era of Western sexual revolution, a time of increasing openness to discussion and debate of sexual issues, and legal reforms in many countries. During this period, there was a growing interest in understanding sexual behaviour, attitudes, and modern contraceptive use in the general population. Evidence was also needed for sexuality education that was emerging in some European countries. Despite this need for evidence, only a few countries (Sweden, Finland, France) conducted national surveys on the topic in the early 1970’s, becoming pioneers in national sex surveys in Europe and in the world. It was the HIV and AIDS epidemic of the 1980s that gave more researchers and funders the impetus to conduct sex studies in many European countries. As a result, medical perspectives on sexuality became prioritised around Europe. Balancing the perspectives of the diverse disciplines (including public health, sociology, psychology) that use the data from national sex surveys remains a challenge for the modern surveys. The European Sexual Medicine Network (ESMN) is a part of European cooperation in science and technology (COST), which includes a strand of work on national sex surveys among the adult population. Since 2021, a subgroup of nationally representative sex surveys, co-chaired by Osmo Kontula and Hanneke de Graaf have worked together to further the field. This submission is based on a review of the literature, combined with Kontula’s personal reflections following a history of participation in European collaboration in this field since the early 1990s.
Sexual expression is fundamental to human existence and an important topic of enquiry in its own right. Understanding sexual behavior is also essential to establish effective sexual health prevention activities (e.g., education), services and policies, and to assess the progress of policies and action plans. Questions on sexual health are rarely included in general health surveys, and therefore dedicated population studies are required. Many countries lack both funding and sociopolitical support to conduct such surveys. A tradition of periodic population sexual health surveys exists in Europe but the methods used (e.g., in questionnaire construction, recruiting methods or interview format) vary from one survey to another. This is because the researchers within each country are confronted with conceptual, methodological, sociocultural and budgetary challenges, for which they find different solutions. These differences limit comparison across countries and pooling of estimates, but the variation in approaches provides a rich source of learning on population survey research. In this review, survey leads from 11 European countries discuss how their surveys evolved during the past four decades in response to sociohistorical and political context, and the challenges they encountered. The review discusses the solutions they identified and shows that it is possible to create well designed surveys which collect high quality data on a range of aspects of sexual health, despite the sensitivity of the topic. Herewith, we hope to support the research community in their perennial quest for political support and funding, and ongoing drive to advance methodology in future national sex surveys.
Libro que describe los principales resultados de la primera encuesta probabilistica sobre sexualidad efectuada en la ciudad de Antofagasta en el año 2005.
This article examines how historical contexts affect the recollection of experiences of rape. We reanalyze sexual autobiographies that were gathered in Finland in 1992 in a sex research project called FINSEX. To illustrate how the time of the rape as well as the time it is recalled shape the possibilities of narrating a life story, we present a close reading of four autobiographies that we place in the context of the collection as a whole, and compare our analysis of the autobiographies to their interpretation in the FINSEX study. The narrative elements of the autobiographies reflect the violent experiences in complex and layered ways. For the authors of these autobiographies, temporal changes in cultural and social understandings of sexual violence enable the reinterpreting of life events and the naming of previously unnamed experiences.
The present study assessed adolescent knowledge of sexual issues and sexual behavior in Estonia and Finland. The Estonian survey was conducted among students in the final grade of comprehensive school in March 1994, with a questionnaire translated trom the Finnish KISS-92 study. The Estonian sample comprised 532 boys and 548 girls 15.0 years old on average; part of the Finnish KISS group of 1992, covering 680 boys and 687 girls 15.8 years old on average, served for comparison. Significance of difference was tested. Estonian adolescents were found to have significantly less sexual experiences than their Finnish counterparts. At the same time quite a large proportion of the Estonian adolescents were attitudinally ready to start sexual intercourse. From this point of view, it is alarming that knowledge of sexual issues was poor among Estonian adolescents: only one out of ten respondents had good and about one- half had poor knowledge of sexual issues. A good level of knowledge was five times more common among Finnish boys compared to Estonian boys. Among girls the difference was eightfold, respectively.
Sexualität in virtuellen Räumen kann nicht unabhängig von jener in realweltlichen Räumen betrachtet werden. Statt Online-Sex als eine gefährliche Alternativwelt zu konzipieren, fragt der Autor praxistheoretisch danach, wie realweltliche und virtuelle Sexualität miteinander verschränkt sind und welche Auswirkungen die paradoxale Platzierung materieller und semiotischer Sexualkörper vor und 'hinter' dem Bildschirm hat. Anhand theoretischer Analysen und der Auswertung von 20 qualitativen Interviews arbeitet er Raumkonstruktionen der User heraus, beschreibt auf dieser Grundlage neue Formen sexueller Subjektivierung und diskutiert mögliche repressive und emanzipative Wirkungen.
Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) represents an enigmatic yet complex set of disorders in this millennia, wherein significant changes have been implemented in defining, categorizing and managing these conditions. FSD is best viewed through a biopsychosocial modelled approach that integrates the ever-changing scenarios that can affect a woman’s health [1]. This includes a woman’s psychological issues, interpersonal factors, her current health status and other sociocultural factors. Women’s sexuality is highly complex and the association between various factors like society, family, relationship and health is strictly non-linear in nature [2]. A problem in any one of these areas can ultimately result in a sexual dysfunction. The aim of this chapter is to briefly overview the female sexual interest/arousal disorder and orgasmic disorder and also outline the management of the same. Female pain disorders now reclassified as the genito-pelvic pain disorder have been comprehensively reviewed separately in the textbook.
Background: Considering the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction in females with OCD and
its impact on marital satisfaction, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between
sexual function and marital satisfaction in a group of female OCD patients.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 36 females with OCD, referred to the
clinic of Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital (related to Tehran University of Medical Sciences) and 3
private offices in Tehran, were selected by random sampling and completed questionnaires including:
demographic questionnaire, FSFI, BDI-II, MOCI, OCI-R and researcher-developed marital
satisfaction questionnaire.
Results: 80.6% of women reported sexual dysfunction. The results of studying sexual function
questionnaire subscales was as following: 50 % low sexual desire, 58.3 % low sexual arousal, 36.1 %
decreased lubrication, 44 % orgasmic disorder, 52.8 % sexual pain disorder and 41.7 % sexual
dissatisfaction. Furthermore, statistically significant correlation was found between sexual dysfunction
(total score and arousal, lubrication, pain and satisfaction subscales) and marital dissatisfaction.
Studying the relation between obession(MOCI questionnaire) and marital satisfaction revealed that the
correlation between washing subscale of MOCI and marital dissatisfaction was also significant while
there were not any significant correlation between obsession (OCJ-R, MOCI) and sexual function
(FSFI).
Conclusion: High prevalence of sexual dysfunction in OCD patients, significant relationship
between obsession and marital satisfaction, and sexual function and marital satisfaction could
demonstrate relationship between sexual function, OCD and marital satisfaction.
Keywords: Marital satisfaction, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Sexual function
Данная монография предназначена тем, кого интересует анализ
гендерных отношений и социальная организация сексуальной жизни.
В книге анализируются биографический опыт женщин поздне- и пост-
советского поколений из Таджикистана, Армении и России. Для этих
обществ характерно различное сочетание модернизационных и тради-
ционалистских тенденций в сфере сексуальной жизни. Автор отвечает
на следующие вопросы: каковы последствия советской гендерной мо-
дернизации на уровне индивидуального опыта интимной жизни; как
была организована сексуальная жизнь в позднесоветский период; ка-
кие изменения в сфере сексуальности происходят в настоящее время
в этих трех странах.
Die herkömmliche Familiensoziologie unterschätzt die Dynamik des Wandels des Beziehungslebens, weil sie nichtkonventionellen Partnerschaftsformen zu wenig Beachtung schenkt. Zudem blendet sie die Bedeutung der Sexualität für moderne Beziehungen aus. Die hier präsentierte Studie versucht, beziehungssoziologische und sexualwissenschaftliche Ansätze zu verbinden. Interviewt wurden 776 Männer und Frauen dreier Generationen aus Hamburg und Leipzig, die zum Zeitpunkt der Befragung 30, 45 bzw. 60 Jahre alt waren. Der Wandel von Beziehungsbiographien und Beziehungsformen im frühen, mittleren und höheren Erwachsenenalter wird nachgezeichnet, die Konsequenzen dieses Wandels für das Leben mit Kindern untersucht und das sexuelle Verhalten sowie der Stellenwert der Sexualität in kurzen und langfristigen Beziehungen analysiert.
In diesem Kapitel dokumentieren wir den sozialen Wandel des Beziehungs-lebens großstädtischer Männer und Frauen für drei Lebensperioden, und zwar für das frühe (bis 30 Jahre), mittlere (31-45 Jahre) und höhere (46-60 Jahre) Erwachsenenalter.
The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes toward and experience with kinky sexual activities in younger adults in Norway In 2013, the polling organization Ipsos MMI sent an online questionnaire survey to a representative national web sample of 2,090 persons aged 18-29 years. Of those polled, 27.2% responded (n = 568). Sixtytwo percent reported no kinky sexual experience, 20.8% had experienced one such activity, 10.4% took part in two such activities, and 6.4% had participated in three such activities. The most commonly reported activities were bondage (27.5%), sex that includes consensual roughness and/or pain (18.1%), and sexual role play (15.5%), herein defined as the three dependent variables. Hierarchical regression analyses were carried out to study the relationship between the three different lifetime experiences of kinky sexual activity and social background factors (step 1), attitudes towards different expressions of sexuality (step 2), and previous sexual experience (step 3). Social background variables explained a small percentage of the variance in all three dependent variables. In step 2, attitudes contributed significantly to the prediction for all three dependent variables after controlling for social background. An additional 15.1% of sexual role play experience, 22.1% of bondage experience, and 27.9% of experience with consensual dominance and submission was thus explained. Previous sexual behavior (step 3) added significantly to the percentage of explained variance for all three dependent variables. The included predictors explained 22.5% of the variance in experience with sexual role play, 30.2% of the bondage experience, and 35.5% of the variance in dominance and submission games. Kinky sexual activities generally seem quite common in and accepted by Norwegian young adults.
Contents
Preface 3
Woet Gianotten: Cancer and Sexuality 7
Introduction 7
Facts & Figures 7
The Damage Done 8
Sexual Consequences of specific cancers 10
The Average Cource of Sexuality in Cancer 14
Minority Groups 15
Dealing With Sexuality & Intimacy in Case of cancer 15
Patrick Jern & Juhana Piha: Towards Improved Diagnostic Criteria and
Treatment Interventions for Rapid Ejaculation 19
Abstract 19
Introduction 19
Definitions and Diagnostic Criteria for Early Ejaculation 20
Etiology of Early Ejaculation 21
Treatment of Early Ejaculation 22
Discussion 23
Acknowledgements 25
Catherine Hakim: Erotic Capital and Sexual Pleasure, and Sexual Markets 27
Abstract 27
Erotic Capital as the Fourth Personal Asset 28
Studies of Sexuality 31
Links Between Erotic Capital and Money 32
The Rising Importance of Physical and Sexual Attractiveness in Modern
Societies
Mating and Marriage Markets 34
The Male Sex Deficit and Women’s Advantage 35
Sexual Cultures, Sexual Markets, Sexual Expression 36
Sexual Pleasure 40
Conclusions 42
Katarina Alanko, Patrick Jern & Annika Gunst: Differences in Levels
of Sexual Dysfunctions in Lesbian, Bi-, and Heterosexual Women 45
Introduction 45
Methods 46
Results 47
Discussion 49
Toivo Aavik & Getter Raidam: Personal Values and Sexual Desire 52
Introduction 52
Sexual Desire 52
Personal Values 53
Personal Values and Sexuality 54
The Aim of the Present Study 55
Method 55
Results 56
Discussion 58
Karoline Bischof: Sexocorporel in the Promotion of Sexual Pleasure 60
The Physiological Components of Sexual Pleasure 60
The Emotial Components of Sexual Pleasure 66
The Cognitive Components of Sexual Pleasure 67
4
Osmo Kontula: The Origin of Sexual Arousal 69
Erotica and Arousal 69
Psyche and Arousal 70
The Role of Sexual Stimulus 70
Foundations of Sexual Fantasies 71
The Core Erotic and Sexual Theme 73
Sexual Partner and Arousal 73
Maintaining Sexual Desire in Long-term Relationships 74
Peak Sexual Experiences 75
Sexual Arousal is a Resource for Life 75
Esben-Esther Pirelli Benestad: Addressing the Disturbed Like Ripples
in Water, Networking for Children Who Trance 77
Foreword 77
Belonging 77
Background 78
Selection 80
Attitude 80
Course of Action 81
Grounds for the Course of Action 81
Like Ripples in Water 81
Results / Experiences 84
Conclusion 86
Inara Roja, Zenija Roja & Liesma Balta: Cognitive Hypnotherapy and
Psycho-aromatherapy for Couples With Unpleasantness 89
Abstract 89
Background 89
Material and Methods 90
Results 90
Discussion 93
Conclusion 93
Yuriy Zharkov: Sexology in Russia 95
Introduction 95
Russian Medical Sexology 96
Studies 96
Conclusion 97
Lotta Löfgren-Mårtenson: Between Professional Ambivalence and
Multidisciplinary Harmony: A Qualitative Study on Sexologist
as a Profession 99
Abstract 99
Introduction 99
Objectives and Research Questions 100
Method, Participants and Procedures 100
Results 101
Professional Ambivalence and Competence 102
Multidisciplinary Harmony and Tensions 103
Sexology as an Interdisciplinary Landscape - a Discussion 105
Katri Ryttyläinen-Korhonen & Maija Ritamo: Hospital Districts
Implementing Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion in Finland 109
Abstract 109
Introduction 109
Material and Methodology 110
Results 111
Discussion 114
5
Solveig Anna Bóasdóttir: Pleasure and Danger:
The Struggle Over Sexual Pleasure in Feminist Literature 117
The Social Construction of Sexuality 117
Sexual Reality and Sexual Ideals: The Road Forward 120
Sandra Hagman: Psychiatric Theories and Their Impact on Criminal
Law The Case of Legal Control over Homosexuality in Finland in
Comparison to Other Nordic Countries 125
Introduction 125
History of Legal Control over Homosexual Acts 126
Innate and Learned Homosexualities - Different Theories on Homosexuality 128
Scandinavian Countries and Homosexuality as a Human Right Question 130
Finland and the Homosexual Seducer as a Social Danger 131
Susanna Ruuhilahti: Good Sex - Enhancing Wellbeing in Sexuality
Education by Utilizing Stories 135
Once upon a time there were... 135
The Power of Stories - an Opportunity to Find a New Way of Thinking
about Matters 136
Good Story Makes Many Feelings Possible 137
A Story Contributes to Understanding Everyone’s Uniqueness and
Differences 138
Imagination Connects Us to Others and Makes Us Less Self-Centred 139
Young People, Sex, and Stories - What Makes Sex Good 140
Good Sex Experiences are Important 142
What kind of Story Do We Convey on Sex 143
To Sum Up 144
Ümit Sayin & Asiye Kocatürk: Expanded Sexual Response
in the Human Female: The Mechanisms of Expanded Orgasms in Women 147
Introduction 147
Expanded Sexual Response: Preliminary Definitions 148
The Basic Principals of Developing ESR in the Human Female 150
Deep Vaginal Erogenous Zones (DVZ) 151
Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFM, PC-Muscles, Love Muscles) 152
Multiple Orgasm, Libido, Masturbation Sub Scale Scores were
Significantly Different in ESR Women Compared to NESR Women 152
Mechanisms of ESR Phenomenon 153
A Special Method to Include Expanded ESR Orgasms in Women:
Four Spot Method 154
The Neurological and Neurochemical Basis of ESR 154
Four Nerve-Six Pathway Theory of Female Orgasm 156
What is Different in ESR Women Compared to NESR Women 157
Some Aspects for DSM-V-2013 HDSI Criteria Related with
ESR Phenomenon 158
Conclusion 160
Introduction
The medical literature has mostly been interested in and focused on the pathologies of
human sexual behavior. Not much research and investigation have ever been done on
the limits and extents of human female’s sexual potentials, such as Expanded Sexual
Response (ESR). Ancient Eastern literature is full of incidences and descriptions of
elevated and enhanced levels of orgasmic response and sexual pleasure of women, utilizing
many different techniques centuries ago, such as Tantrist and Taoist Love Making
in India and China (Vatsyayana, 1883; Chang 1977, 1983; Schwartz, 1999; Chia
2002, 2005; Mumford, 2005; Michaels 2008). Recent publications and books in the
West after 1990’s point out that female sexual response can be enhanced and expanded
to certain levels (Rhodes, 1991; Schwartz, 1999; Bodansky, 2000; Taylor, 2002;
Zdrok, 2004; Sayin, 1993, 2010, 2011, 2012). Such results have also been reported by
Masters & Johnson (1966) and Hartman & Fithian (1972). William Masters and Virginia
Johnson, reported a female’s sustained and long orgasms lasting for 43 seconds,
coining the episode as status orgasmus in their famous book “Human Sexual Response”
(Masters & Johnson, 1966). William Hartman and Mariyln Fithian, also reported the
highest recorded orgasm number in the human female as 134 orgasms per hour. Since
then, many occurrences about the extremes of female orgasmic response, up to 200
orgasms per hour or more, have been reported (Sayin, 1993, 2010, 2011, 2012). No
physiological or psychological disorders of these high orgasmic women were ever re-
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ported. This kind of elevated number of orgasms may occur in mania, mood disorders,
bipolar disorders, persistent genital arousal syndrome, hypersexuality, nymphomania,
hyperthyroid function disorders, temporal lobe epilepsy, parkinsonism treated with
L-DOPA, following brain trauma etc. (Sayin, 2010, 2011, 2012). However, it is also
known that many women without any of these disorders may exert very high orgasmic
patterns, which is not investigated by modern science and medicine thoroughly yet!
In 1991 Brauers designed a method named as “ESO Ecstasy Program” by which
prolonged, sustained and long lasting orgasms could be attained by women, such as orgasms
lasting for more than an hour (Rhodes, 1991). In 2000, Patricia Taylor reported
expanded orgasm patterns of 22 women in her PhD thesis and defined the term “Expanded
Orgasm” in the human female (Fisher, 1974, 1977; Taylor, 2000, 2002). In
Patricia Taylor’s research group, “Altered States of Consciousness” (ASC) patterns were
also defined during expanded orgasms and ESR. In Taylor’s study, the expanded orgasm
(EO) or ESR (Expanded Sexual Response) duration was 0.2 to 60 minutes and
even more in some particular cases in 22 female subjects (a total of 44 subjects or 22
couples) (Taylor, 2000). Taylor had classified her cases into four dimensions as physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual. Taylor’s cases described a deep experience of ASC
such as, more pleasure; deep relaxation; heightened sensations; increased energy; temporary
pain relief; energy expanding out of body; deep relaxing abdominal breathing;
increased clarity and creativity; acceptance of the self and others; extra sensory perception;
ecstasy; mystical experience; divine feelings; increased awareness of the body;
mind connection and integration; psycho-spiritual birth and death experience; loss of
illusion of spatial separation; loss of spatial dimensions, loss of sense of time; personal
boundaries dissolving and merging with the divine; cosmic emptiness and void; sharing
with the partner; compassion; sense of fulfillment etc. (Taylor, 2000).
Mah & Binik’s study also opened a typical discussion on such altered mood states
during female orgasms (Mah, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010; King, 2010). King, Mah &
Binik categorized subjective feelings of female orgasms in 10 dimensions as building
sensations, flooding sensations, flushing sensations, shooting sensations, throbbing
sensations, general spasms, pleasurable satisfaction, relaxation, emotional intimacy, and
ecstasy (King 2010). However, in Mah & Binik’s studies there was no classification
of women in terms of the properties of orgasmic response, such as clitoral, vaginal,
blended and/or ESR.
Expanded Sexual Response
Sexuality is an essential feature of human life throughout the life course. It is a major aspect of intimacy and incorporates components such as sexual desire, activity, function, attitudes, beliefs, values about identity, and self-concepts. It represents an essential nexus for the interaction among social life; culturally determined beliefs and practices; psychological processes; and the biological mechanisms of aging, health, and disease. Variant expectations and interpretations focus on sexual issues related to age (González 2007; Waite et al. 2009). Age shapes the sexual body and also modifies human beings mentally.
A nation-wide screening programme for cervical cancer started in Finland gradually from 1963 onwards. By the beginning of the 1990s, there had been a decrease of 80% both in the age-adjusted incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer. To describe the recent patterns in cervical cancer incidence and mortality and evaluate their differentials in relation with the organised screening activities, we have updated the material on the cervical cancer incidence and mortality as well as mass-screening activities up to the year 1995. Based on the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry, there is a striking increase of about 60% in the incidence of cervical cancer during the last 4 years of the study period among women below 55 years of age. The mortality rates are still decreasing. There is no overall decrease over recent years in the coverage of the programme invitations or smears taken. Incidence of invasive cancer and of moderate and severe dysplasia as detected in mass screening have increased. As to the interpretation, changes in the risk factors, such as in sexual behaviour and smoking habits, over the decades might partly explain increasing trends in cervical cancer incidence. As the change in incidence was relatively abrupt, inadequacies or changes in the effectiveness in the screening programme, particularly among young women, may also have contributed. Expanding the coverage of and attendance in the pap-screening programme among women in young target ages would still be effective. Increasing emphasis on quality assessment in screening is also needed. Int. J. Cancer 83:59–65, 1999.
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