Female Sexuality

Topic: Sexual Techniques

Dr. Suzanna Rose

I. KATHARINE DAVIS (1929)

FACTORS IN THE SEX LIFE OF 2200 WOMEN

• married women (1,000) recruited from 3 sources:
  • large national organization
  • General Federation of Women's Clubs
  • alumnae of women's and coed colleges and univ.
• single women (N=1,200)- women out of college at least 5 years

Findings:

• 9.3% of married women had an abortion
• 43% no preparation for sex side of marriage
• masturbation - 61% single women, 41% married women; of these, 40-60% learned by accidental discovery, 14-28% from another person.
• orgasm - 31% of single women; many did not know meaning; did not ask married women about orgasm
• intense emotional relations with other women- 50% of single women; 30% of married women;
• sexual contact with other women - 20% of single women; 14% of married women;(mutual masturbation, genital contact or other sexual behaviors)

II. KINSEY

A. SAMPLING

• 5940 WOMEN; 5300 MEN; MOSTLY WHITE
• 100% CONVENIENCE SAMPLING
• DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

B. METHOD - INTERVIEWS

• ACCURACY - 162 RETAKES;
• 18 MOS LATER COMPARED 706 WIVES AND HUSBANDS/AGREEMENT

III. HUNT (1974)

A. SAMPLING

• 2,026 ADULTS
• MORE REPRESENTATIVE: 10% BLACK; AGE; ED; LOCALE
• CONTACTED BY PHONE; 80% REFUSED

B. METHOD - SURVEY, SOME INTERVIEWS

IV. NATIONAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL LIFE SURVEY

• (NHSLS); LAUMANN ET AL, 1994
  

A. SAMPLING

• 3,432 INDIVIDUALS;
• REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLING
• 18-59 YEARS

RESULTS OF MAJOR SEX SURVEYS

I. SEXUAL FANTASY

A. FREQUENCY OF SEXUAL FANTASY
RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION, "HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK ABOUT SEX?"

	EVERY DAY OR SEVERAL TIMES DAILY	A FEW TIMES A MONTH OR A WEEK	LESS THAN ONCE A MONTH/NEVER
MEN	54%	43%	4%
WOMEN	19%	67%	1%

NHSLS, LAUMANN ET AL., 1994.

84% OF MARRIED COUPLES FANTASIZE DURING INTERCOURSE

B. WHO FANTASIZES?

• THOSE WITH LESS SEXUAL GUILT
• THOSE WITH MORE PERMISSIVE SEXUAL ATTITUDES

 

C. FANTASY CONTENT - MOST COMMON

• HAVING SEX WITH LOVED ONE
• HAVING SEX WITH A STRANGER
• HAVING SEX WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON AT SAME TIME
• DOING SEXUAL THINGS ONE WOULD NEVER DO IN REALITY
• BEING FORCED TO HAVE SEX
  FORCING SOMEONE TO HAVE SEX
• HAVING SEX WITH SOMEONE OF SAME GENDER (IF HETERO)
• HAVING SEX WITH OPPOSITE SEX (IF LESBIAN/GAY)

D. ACTING OUT FANTASIES

II. MASTURBATION

A. FREQUENCY

NHSLS:

• 40% WOMEN
• 60% OF MEN/ PAST YEAR
  OF THOSE COUPLED - 45% WOMEN
• 85% MEN/PAST YEAR

B. ATTITUDES

• SHIFT FROM SIN TO AFFLICTION TO HEALTHY

C. COMMON TECHNIQUES FOR WOMEN

• MANUAL STIMULATION
• BREAST STIMULATION
• STREAM OF WATER
• VIBRATOR
• THIGH PRESSURE
• USE DILDOS/PENETRATION (20%)

D. MUTUAL MASTURBATION (SAFE SEX)

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III. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE (SEE HANDOUT ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN U.S.)

A. PREMARITAL

B. RATES OF MARITAL INTERCOURSE

C. POSITIONS

• FACE TO FACE, WOMAN ABOVE
• FACE TO FACE, MAN ABOVE
• FACE TO FACE, SIDE TO SIDE
• REAR ENTRY
• SITTING

  D. ORGASM/DURATION (HANDOUT)

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IV. ORAL SEX

• FREQUENCY
  • QUITE COMMON
• NOT HARMFUL IF NO STDS
• MUTUAL ORAL-GENITAL SEX "69"

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V. ANAL SEX

A. PREVALENCE

HETEROS:

• 20% WOMEN
• 26% MEN/EVER
• GAY MEN: 43%

B. TYPES

• ANILINGUS (RIMMING)
• ANAL INTERCOURSE (PENIS)
• ANAL PENETRATION (DILDO)
• FISTING

 

C. ISSUES

• USE WATER SOLUBLE LUBRICANT (K-Y)
• HIV TRANSMISSION

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VI. LESBIAN/GAY SEX

A. FREQUENCY OF SEX

• GAY MEN HIGHEST FREQUENCY
• HETEROS SECOND
• LESBIANS LEAST
• BUT - PROBLEMS DEFINING FREQUENCY
• DECLINES LONGER COUPLE IS TOGETHER

B ORAL AND ANAL SEX

C. ISSUES

• WHAT COUNTS AS SEX?

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VII. ISSUES IN SEX RESEARCH

• WHO IS QUESTIONED
• WHAT IS ASKED

 

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