Journal of Sex Research最新文献

The high rates of sexual inexperience and sexual inactivity reported from Japan have been subject to international attention. In this scoping review, we included 38 publications in English and Japanese (Jan 1st, 1974 to Sep 15th, 2024) comprising 43 surveys aimed at presenting population-based data on sexual inexperience, sexual inactivity and related variables, including indicators of sexual desire, interest in sexual relationships, sexual orientation and identities, sexual dysfunction and use of commercial sex worker services. Findings indicated that sexual inexperience had increased during the past decades such that around half of the Japanese population remained sexually inexperienced into their mid-twenties and approximately 10% of the individuals had no sexual experience when reaching their 30s, although most of the data pertained to heterosexual inexperience. The prevalence of sexual inactivity was high and had increased during the past decades, but these findings relied on less reliable data. While measures of sexual desire varied depending on definition and survey, a large proportion of the population reported that they had no interest in sexual relationships. Based on the reviewed data, several hypotheses regarding sexual inactivity in Japan and avenues for further research are suggested.

College sexual assault is a persistent public health problem in the United States. A public health approach to develop effective prevention strategies must take into account the social ecology of college campuses, including interpersonal-, community-, and institutional-level factors that may influence sexual assault. To maximize effectiveness, prevention strategies should be tailored to reflect contextual factors of specific college communities and situations where sexual assault is more likely to occur. Using one-on-one semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study of fraternity and sorority students examined interpersonal, community, and institutional factors influencing consent within the context of a hookup. Participants included 42 sexually active, predominantly heterosexual undergraduate fraternity and sorority members. From interviews, eight modifiable factors emerged that influence student consent behavior: (a) Awkwardness and fear of rejection; (b) Traditional heterosexual sexual scripts; (c) Coercion; (d) Men's fear of being accused of sexual assault; (e) Peers and the sexual double standard; (f) Sex and the Greek social hierarchy; (g) Drunk sex; and (h) Greek environments. College sexual assault prevention efforts should be tailored to the fraternity and sorority community and aim to address these eight factors to prevent sexual assault within the high-risk context of hookups.

Despite the growing visibility of the asexual community across the globe, little is known about how individuals on the asexual spectrum navigate their (a)sexual experiences. Asexual individuals may be highly vulnerable to sexual violence victimization due to prejudice against their lack of sexual attraction. Perpetrators may seek to pressure asexual individuals into sexual activities by invalidating their asexuality or manipulating their need for emotional intimacy. Such non-consensual sexual acts or behaviors may have a profound impact on asexual individuals. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of sexual violence victimization and its relationship with substance use among individuals identifying on the asexual spectrum. The data for this study were derived from a global sample of 8,752 individuals on the asexual spectrum from the Ace Community Survey. The results indicated that 67.4% of the participants had experienced at least one form of sexual violence victimization in their lifetime. Experiences of sexual violence were related to more frequent engagement in substance use over the past year. Additionally, the results showed that compared with asexual individuals, graysexual and demisexual individuals were more likely to experience sexual violence, which was linked to substance use. Given the widespread prevalence and detrimental effects of sexual violence victimization, it is important to integrate asexual perspectives into prevention and intervention efforts, while simultaneously raising public awareness about affirmative consent and boundaries. The study also offers significant implications for trauma-informed care, public education, and social policies that address the unique needs and experiences of this population.

College students frequently combine alcohol and sexual activity, often perceiving these encounters as consensual. However, alcohol use is also a significant risk factor for sexual assault. Recognizing that alcohol is implicated in both consensual and nonconsensual sexual activity, in this study we aimed to assess the relational and social dynamics of alcohol-involved, consensual sexual activity. We recruited 29 students from a large Midwestern university for interviews focused on alcohol and sexual decision-making. The interviews were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis. Participants relied heavily on "trust" to determine if they perceived an alcohol-involved sexual experience as consensual. They reported that they trusted their sexual partners not to harm them, with trust often based on contextual cues such as interacting with a potential partner at a party before having consumed alcohol or having a prior or current relationship with the potential partner. Additionally, college students reported trusting their friends to reduce harm during alcohol-involved sexual experiences and assist with deciphering their and/or their potential sexual partner's ability to consent. Overall, our participants seemed to use trust as a potential harm reduction strategy to navigate alcohol-involved sexual experiences so that they are consensual. Relying on others to assist in these moments can be beneficial and aligns with a community-based approach to preventing sexual assault. However, participants did not always acknowledge that their trusted friends or partners might also be intoxicated, potentially impairing their ability to assist. Our findings highlight the complexity of relying on intoxicated peers and partners for judgment in these contexts.

To date, most sexual assault research has focused on specific perpetrator tactics, including verbal coercion, substance-related incapacitation, and force. Responding to recent calls to assess a broader range of nonconsensual sexual experiences, we examined the occurrence and outcomes of sexual assault without warning - when a perpetrator "just does" a behavior without giving a chance to say "no." Participants were 850 college students (M_age = 19.70; 70% cisgender women, 28% cisgender men, 2% transgender/gender expansive), including 38% (n = 325) who reported sexual assault since age 14. Among these survivors, 72% reported sexual assault without warning, including 18% for whom this was the only tactic experienced. Sexual assault without warning was most often used to obtain nonconsensual sexual contact (23% of the sample) but also attempted (11%) and completed penetration (13%). Relative to no such experience, sexual assault without warning was associated with more severe posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety, but fewer past-month drinks per week. Although more alcohol use and related consequences were better predicted by incapacitated sexual assault, sexual assault without warning was consistently associated with mental health problems. Findings support the integration of this tactic into sexual assault assessments for college students of diverse gender and sexual identities.

Vulvodynia, a long-term genital pain disorder with a high lifetime prevalence, profoundly impacts both the affected women and their partners. However, the experiences of these partners have been under-researched. Using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis, this qualitative study explored the experiences of male partners of women with vulvodynia. In individual interviews with seven men (20-32 years), four themes were identified: "Trying to be a good and caring partner," "Fear of sexual and emotional rejection," "Feelings of insecurity and being misled," and "Keeping up the façade." Despite efforts to support their partners, the men often faced rejection, leading to insecurities about their attractiveness, the relationship's future, and their ability to conform to social expectations. They coped by concealing insecurities from their partners and overemphasizing traditional masculinity among peers. We discuss these results using sexual script theory, suggesting that gendered sexual scripts play a significant role in relationships with vulvodynia, with prevailing cultural assumptions regarding masculinity challenging men's ability to be simultaneously caring and sexual. As a result, the men found themselves negotiating two contrasting ideals associated with masculine behavior: those of good caregiver and assertive, virile sexual partner. Our research suggests that male partners of women with vulvodynia tend to be left alone to deal with the resulting ambivalence and distress. Supporting these men could benefit both parties in managing vulvodynia.

When searching for a partner, people often rely on social cues to determine partners' suitability, finding those who attract attention from others particularly appealing. While people continue to evaluate their partners beyond relationship initiation, existing research has predominantly concentrated on the effects of observing others' choices during the stage of partner selection, neglecting to consider whether viewing others' attention toward current partners yields similar effects or instead elicits defensive devaluation. In three experiments, we exposed Israeli participants to situations where their partners received unsolicited flirtatious advances, utilizing visualization, virtual reality, and recall techniques. Participants then rated their desire for their partner and mate retention efforts. Results indicated that attention to partners led to decreased desire for them, subsequently predicting reduced relationship investment. These findings suggest that witnessing current partners receiving attention holds a different meaning than observing potential partners in a similar situation, making salient the risk of losing the partner.